Major flare-up as crews battle Boyle Heights warehouse fire; smoke advisory remains in place

Lineage, the company which owns the facility in Boyle Heights, released a statement saying that it believes the fire was sparked by contractors working on solar panels on top of the roof.

"At this time, we believe the fire began while testing was being conducted by contractors of the third-party owner of the solar array located on the facility's roof," the statement said.

The company said it is assisting the LAFD and other agencies.

LAFD Battalion Chief Nicholas Ferrari said residents can expect the fire to "ebb and flow."

"You're going to see this fire ebb and flow through different conditions of smoke," he said at a Friday evening press conference. "The smoke will go away and it'll look like we have the fire out, and then 10 minutes later it could flare up again."

A flare-up at the Boyle Heights warehouse sent black and white smoke billowing into the air.

That's why the department is relying heavily on its helicopters to hit the deep-seated fire from above.

As the investigation continues into the solar panel fire that sparked the intense blaze, crews will continue to battle the flames day and night.

"I'm more optimistic that we're going to extinguish this fire," Ferrari said. "We are a very aggressive fire department, and we are working through the clock tonight. We will not stop applying water, we will not stop fighting fire until this is extinguished."

Two emergency shelters have opened in response to the fire in Boyle Heights.

The shelters are at Pecan Recreation Center, located at 145 S. Pecan St., and City Terrace Park, located at 1126 N. Hazard Ave. Officials say anyone in need of a safe place to stay is welcome to visit either location.

"We know that this is concerning. This is inconvenient, but we are doing everything we can to end this as soon as possible, and we want everybody to be safe in the meantime," L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said at a Friday evening press conference.

Residents in the area are urged to wear masks and remain indoors.

Crews are battling a flare-up at the Boyle Heights warehouse. A mixture of black and white smoke was billowing from the building as firefighters worked to put out the blaze.

"Due to an expected change in wind conditions, there was a flare-up inside the structure, which was anticipated by crews on scene. More smoke is currently visible in the area of this incident; however, there is no additional hazard. Crews will continue to flow large amounts of water into the building for an extended period of time," LAFD said.

Crews are battling a flare-up at the Boyle Heights warehouse that is sending black and white smoke billowing from the building.