Massive fire at warehouse in Boyle Heights triggers shelter-in-place orders, rare helicopter drops

A shelter-in-place order has been lifted for Boyle Heights after a massive fire tore through the roof of a warehouse with solar panels, sparking concerns for hazardous materials.

The Los Angeles Fire Department made the announcement just before 9 p.m.

"Although smoke in the area has decreased, individuals with sensitive health issues should continue to monitor the air quality, remain cautious, stay indoors, close all doors and windows to limit exposure to outdoor air," the fire department said in a statement.

The roof full of solar panels on the very same Boyle Heights building burned in a fire two years ago.

The roof full of solar panels on the very same Boyle Heights building burned in a fire two years ago.

On Aug. 14, 2024, firefighters responded to the same building on fire on the 1400 block of S. Los Palos Street.

Crews attacked the blaze and ended up saving the Lineage building following a firefight that lasted around 50 minutes. No injuries were reported, the LAFD said at the time.

According to their website, Lineage is the world's largest temperature-controlled warehousing company.

The company has more than 20 facilities in Southern California and several surrounding downtown Los Angeles. The facility at the center of Wednesday's fire is known as a port location, focusing on imports and exports of foods and beverages. Photos from inside show the high-volume inventory, with rows of cold storage stacked at least seven levels high.

On its website, Lineage touts its sustainability efforts and Climate Pledge. The company says it's committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2040 across it's operations and they plan to meet that goal through energy efficiency measures, including onsite energy generation -- in this case, that appears to be the solar panels on the roof.

At about 5:30 p.m., fire officials reported that the spread of the flames on the roof of a burning cold storage facility in Boyle Heights had been halted.

No injuries were immediately reported. It was unclear what sparked the blaze.

The solar panels on the same building also caught fire in August 2024, but LAFD crews were able to douse that blaze in less than an hour with no injuries.

L.A. Metro announced that buses in both directions are currently on a detour due to fire department activity in the area. Buses have a temporary layover at Whitter/Ditman. Toward El Sereno, stops from Calada/Olympic through Indiana/3rd will not be served.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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City News Service contributed to this report.

As the fire at a cold storage facility in Boyle Heights spread, Los Angeles Fire Department hose lines were unable to reach parts of the fire, so four water-dropping helicopters were brought to the scene to help halt the flames, dumping thousands of gallons of water onto the building.

The helicopters made a huge difference in the firefight. Video from AIR7 shortly after 5 p.m. showed only a few flames remaining with the majority of the blaze out.

Water-dropping helicopters are not a common sight in urban landscapes, especially when it comes to a building in the middle of such a densely populated neighborhood. But this is a very unusual fire that poses unusual risks and at 480 gallons per drop, these helicopters are a real lifesaver.

As the fire at a cold storage facility in Boyle Heights spread, Los Angeles Fire Department hose lines were unable to reach parts of the fire, so four water-dropping helicopters were brought to the scene to help halt the flames.

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City News Service contributed to this report