Progress Made on LA Warehouse Fire That Prompted Shelter-in-Place Orders

Firefighters are making progress on a large blaze at a warehouse that blackened the skies near downtown Los Angeles and prompted shelter-in-place orders in the area due to the risk of hazardous air.

Fire crews were able to remove the walls to parts of the burning warehouse, paving the way for a full knockdown. Los Angeles Fire Department Fire Chief Jaime Moore said he expect the air to start clearing up soon after, LAist is reporting. Moore said firefighters have held the blaze to half the building, but chemicals used for refrigeration and the building’s layout have made fighting this fire a challenging.

The 491,000-square-foot building is a cold storage warehouse owned by Lineage Logistics for the transport of frozen or other temperature-controlled goods, according to the Associated Press. Firefighters responded around 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday to the fire, which sent large plumes of dark smoke into the air in the Boyle Heights and surrounding areas, the AP reported.

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Saturday for Los Angeles County in response to the fire, directing agencies to support local response efforts and help protect public health and safety.

Topics Louisiana