A fire in LA has been burning for days. What’s taking so long to put it out? | Los Angeles
Los Angeles firefighters are on their sixth day of fighting a fire at a large frozen food warehouse near downtown.
Smoke rose from the warehouse, which was lined with solar panels and insulated like a freezer, filling the air surrounding the approximately 500,000 sq ft (46,450 m 2) facility.
Last Wednesday’s fire proved particularly challenging for firefighters because of the nature of the facility operated by Michigan-based Lineage in the Boyle Heights neighborhood east of downtown. Fire crews could not enter the building and are fighting the fire from outside.
A large warehouse fire can usually be extinguished in a day, but in cold storage, the process can take weeks, officials said. Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jaime Moore said about 85 million lbs (38.6 million kg) of frozen food was stored inside.
Here’s what you need to know:
What caused the fire?
Lineage said in a statement that the cause of the fire could not be determined. expression on the website.
The company, which provides temperature-controlled warehouse space to food and beverage manufacturers, said in a statement that the fire is believed to have started while subcontractors were working on solar panels on the roof.
The statement said Lineage was working with fire officials to investigate the fire.
Why is it taking so long to uncover this?
Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Jamie Stewart said it would take at least a few more days to extinguish the fire.
Fires in cold storage rooms often last for weeks because their heavily insulated ceilings, roofs and walls make them difficult to extinguish, Stewart said.
He said firefighters were unable to enter the building because of the danger posed by the floor-to-ceiling heavy-duty steel shelving racks. He also said they couldn’t ventilate the roof quickly because of the insulation, which is what they usually do to release gases and smoke and provide visibility inside the warehouse.
In this case, he said, firefighters removed the exterior walls on certain sides of the building and doused them with heavy water.
“Right now, with that visibility and smoke, you can’t really evaluate safety in terms of staffing,” Stewart said.
What is stored in the facility?
Lineage’s website stated that the facility, called Big Bear, stores products such as seafood, pork, beef and poultry before they are shipped to markets and restaurants on the US west coast.
There was no immediate response to a message to Lineage seeking detailed information about the food and the companies affected.
What are the air quality concerns?
Air quality officials said Monday that the air around working-class Boyle Heights was extremely unhealthy and that particles in the smoke were also affecting the San Gabriel Valley.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District extended the warning for poor air quality through Tuesday afternoon and said the fire continued to produce smoke affecting the neighborhood and areas to the north and east of the fire. Smoke carries microscopic particles known as PM2.5 that can penetrate deep into the lungs.
The district said light winds will push the smoke in all directions, potentially affecting other parts of the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
Residents in the hardest-hit area were told to avoid vigorous physical activity; close all windows, doors and vents; turn off the air conditioner; and bring people and pets into the interior room due to the risk of hazardous weather. Health officials said that those who have to go out in smoky weather should wear an N95 or P100 mask.
