Los Angeles under state of emergency due to warehouse fire

Los Angeles is under a state of emergency as firefighters continue to battle a stubborn warehouse blaze that ignited Wednesday afternoon. The fire, located in a massive 500,000-square-foot frozen food warehouse, has filled the air with acrid black smoke, leading to a significant multi-jurisdictional response.

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This is a major, multi-jurisdictional incident.

Mayor Karen Bass stated that the emergency declaration will "ensure the city has the resources it needs" to combat the major incident. Complicating the firefighting efforts are burning foam insulation, suspected ammonia leakage, and melting solar panels within the structure. The fire has been contained to the warehouse but continues to burn, emitting fumes described as smelling of burning plastic.

Initially, residents in the Boyle Heights neighborhood surrounding the warehouse were advised to shelter in place and avoid breathing the smoke. Relief centers were opened for those unable to escape the fumes. However, fire officials later lifted the shelter-in-place orders, clarifying that the smoke is not toxic. Despite this, air quality officials have issued warnings for people in affected areas to limit outdoor activity.

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The smell of smoke has reached most of the city, and we encourage everyone to limit exposure as much as possible.

City Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado expressed concern over the potential long-term health consequences for Boyle Heights residents. "Residents have lived through days of smoke, shelter-in-place orders, disruptions to daily life, and ongoing questions about what this means for their health and well-being," she said, highlighting the sustained impact of the fire on the community.

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Residents have lived through days of smoke, shelter-in-place orders, disruptions to daily life, and ongoing questions about what this means for their health and well-being.