Boyle Heights community demands permanent closure of burned Lineage warehouse

BOYLE HEIGHTS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Many of the people living close to the burned out warehouse in Boyle Heights want the facility to be closed, for good.

A coalition of community-based organizations from the eastside, and Boyle Heights held a rally on Thursday demanding the closure of the Lineage Logistics warehouse, which is just feet from many of the homes on La Puerta Street.

Many residents who have lived there for decades participated in the rally. One resident told Eyewitness News that he and others protested when they learned that the warehouse would be built in their neighborhood.

On Thursday, they laid out a list of demands and at the top of that list is the permanent closure of this Lineage cold storage facility. They are also calling for a complete environmental investigation, thorough cleanup and housing relief, stressing that these communities have suffered environmental harm for generations.

"I grew up with factories surrounding our housing, waking up in the morning with the noise of machinery, the exhaust fans of the factories. This is environmental racism. this is not permitted in the rich white communities," said activist Carlos Montes, Centro CSO.

"I will not allow you to ignore us anymore. I will advocate for our community and for my father, who can't speak up for himself," said Boyle Heights resident María Juaregui. "The cleanup needs to get done now."

RELATED | New mobile health clinic launches in Boyle Heights for residents affected by warehouse fire

A new mobile health clinic has launched in Boyle Heights to provide medical services to residents affected by the warehouse fire, as some community members continue to report health concerns tied to the incident.

ABC7 reached out to Lineage regarding the demands community members are making and while they did not comment on the demand for its closure, the company pointed to a letter that it published on its website this week, which states they've hired one of the most experienced remediation firms for cleanup.

The company also said they're taking part in air monitoring at locations around the area including nearby schools. But residents are not satisfied with what they are seeing and experiencing.

A man in his 90s told Eyewitness News that he can't go outside because of the stench. His family is worried about his physical and emotional well-being.