Boyle Heights smoke advisory prompts shelter openings

A massive fire at a Boyle Heights cold-storage facility began on rooftop solar panels, later triggering an ammonia leak and explosions that required rare defensive aerial water drops. With a smoke advisory still in effect Saturday, officials urged residents to

A thick, drifting haze settled over Boyle Heights again Saturday, and with it came a clear message from public officials: limit outdoor exposure.

The warning followed a week of frantic firefighting after a blaze erupted at a cold-storage warehouse on the roof of the 491. 000-square-foot facility. The fire began shortly after 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at 1400 S. Los Palos St., then spread rapidly across rooftop solar panels. Inside. an ammonia leak developed and explosions followed—forcing crews to use rare. defensive aerial water drops on the massive warehouse.

Saturday’s smoke advisory remained in place across Boyle Heights after a flare-up at the cold-storage warehouse fire. with officials urging residents to limit outdoor exposure as smoky conditions spread. Public health officials said smoke from the South Los Palos Street blaze had drifted into surrounding neighborhoods. People were advised to stay indoors, close windows, and avoid breathing the smoke.

Fire crews spent the night working to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby homes and other units in the complex. including an adjacent cold storage facility. Los Angeles Fire Department officials said they had monitored the air closely. including checks involving Hazmat. LA County Hazmat. and the South Coast Air Quality Management District. LAFD Capt. Branden Silverman said the monitoring found no additional toxic chemicals or hazards in the smoke beyond normal structure-fire smoke.

“The good news is. all of our air monitoring that has been done by our department. Hazmat. LA County Hazmat. as well as AQMD. has shown that there are no additional toxic chemicals or hazards within that smoke other than normal structure fire smoke. ” Silverman said. “That said, no smoke is good smoke. We know that people are being affected by this in our city as well as LA County’s jurisdiction. and we do want you to take precautions to avoid that smoke whenever possible.”.

The Air Quality advisory was extended by the South Coast Air Quality Management District through at least midday Saturday as smoke from the fire continued to drift across Boyle Heights. East Los Angeles. and nearby communities. While shelter-in-place orders issued earlier in the week were lifted, officials stressed that smoky air remained a concern. Fire officials said visible smoke may increase at times as crews continued suppression efforts. but there is no additional hazard beyond the smoke itself.

Officials’ guidance for residents stayed consistent: use air purifiers or air conditioning if available. stay indoors with windows and doors closed. and avoid outdoor activity—especially for sensitive groups. Residents were also urged to monitor air quality alerts, keep pets indoors, and wear masks if going outside.

The fire’s danger has not followed a straight line. It began Wednesday afternoon at a roughly 500. 000-square-foot cold-storage facility. flared again Friday evening after a shift in wind conditions. and sent black and white smoke billowing into the sky. Los Angeles Fire Department officials called the incident complex and warned the fire will likely “ebb and flow. ” driven by deep-seated flames inside the structure and difficult access conditions. Firefighters have been largely limited to exterior operations due to safety concerns inside the building. continuing to pour water onto the structure and target hotspots.

No injuries were reported.

A temporary relief effort began at the same time the smoke advisory continued. Although there are no evacuation orders. Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda Solis said county officials opened temporary shelters for residents seeking relief from smoke or uncomfortable conditions. The shelters include City Terrace Park at 1126 N. Hazard Ave. and the Pecan Recreation Center at 145 S. Pecan St. County leaders said the sites were opened “out of an abundance of caution” as firefighting operations continue.

Officials and the facility operator. Lineage Logistics. said the blaze appears to be linked to the warehouse’s rooftop solar panels. though the exact cause remains under investigation. Firefighters spread across the solar panels before flames were discovered burning deep inside the cold-storage areas, complicating containment efforts. Fire officials said the structure’s size and layout. along with hazards such as stored equipment and limited access. required unusual tactics—including the use of water-dropping helicopters typically used on wildfires.

Boyle Heights is a densely populated neighborhood just east of downtown Los Angeles, bordered by major freeways including the 101 and 5. It sits near East Los Angeles and includes residential communities, schools, and industrial sites, including the cold-storage warehouse where the fire is burning.

This is a breaking news story. Check back later for more details.

City News Service contributed to this report.

Boyle Heights fire cold storage warehouse smoke advisory LAFD ammonia leak Lineage Logistics rooftop solar panels South Coast AQMD Hilda Solis shelters structure fire smoke