Los Angeles declares state of emergency as firefighters battle warehouse blaze | California
Mayor Karen Bass declared an emergency for the city of Los Angeles as firefighters try to contain a cold storage fire that continues to send smoke throughout the metro area.
“This emergency declaration is vital because Boyle Heights is not just responding to fires. Residents have faced days of smoke, shelter-in-place orders, disruptions to daily life and ongoing questions about what this means for their health and well-being,” said Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado, who represents Boyle Heights. he said in a statement.
The emergency declaration asks Gov. Gavin Newsom to expedite state aid and send any aid available under the California Disaster Relief Act.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire in the attic, but the ongoing dangers in the building made it difficult to stop the fire completely. Smoke from the building continued to spread towards other parts of the district under the influence of the wind.
Authorities initially ordered local residents to shelter in place due to the possibility of air pollution and ammonia contamination. The city and county of Los Angeles opened smoke evacuation centers.
“The city and county have opened spaces for families seeking relief from the smoke, and we will continue to work day and night and do everything possible to completely extinguish this fire,” Bass said in a statement. he said.
An array of solar panels covering the roof of a 500,000-square-foot cold storage facility in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles caught fire on June 17. While firefighters were trying to control the fire, the ammonia line exploded, making the fire more dangerous. Ammonia, a commonly used commercial refrigerant, is highly flammable and can emit toxic fumes.
Firefighters were forced to retreat and attempted to contain the fire from a safer distance, using air drops from helicopters to help extinguish the fire. The foam inside the building continued to burn slowly. According to the Los Angeles Times.
Once the fire is fully extinguished, LAFD will need to eliminate approximately 85 million lbs of rotten food. Officials said they are working on potential biohazard issues from tainted foods such as bread, poultry, pork and beef.
