Investigation Continues at Los Angeles Warehouse After Devastating Fire

On October 6, law enforcement personnel were observed outside Lineage Cold Storage Solutions in Los Angeles’ Boyle Heights neighborhood. This followed a visit from California Department of Toxic Substances Control investigators who are examining the warehouse that burned down this past summer as part of a criminal inquiry. These investigators were seen working in the warehouse offices by noon, though they did not disclose the specific details of their investigation.

Concurrently, three individuals from the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office were positioned at the facility’s office entrance, with two dark sedans obstructing the entrance. Representatives of Lineage were not available for comment.

This warehouse was the epicenter of a significant fire that began on June 17 and took nearly a week to extinguish. Firefighters faced numerous challenges, such as solar panels on the roof that resisted initial de-energization efforts, 50-foot-tall stacks of frozen goods creating safety hazards, and a sudden ammonia gas leak that necessitated a shelter-in-place directive for nearby buildings.

Upon extinguishing the fire, Lineage was tasked with promptly removing the 89 million pounds of meat and food inside before spoilage occurred due to the intense summer heat. The clearance process exceeded six weeks, during which local complaints arose over increased rat infestations, flies, and health issues.

The fire’s cause remains undetermined, although investigators from the Los Angeles Fire Department have not ruled out the role of the rooftop solar panels. Martín Ramírez, who owns a neighboring auto shop, described seeing bustling workers at the warehouse on that Tuesday morning, only to find it deserted shortly afterward.

Salvador Hernandez is part of the Los Angeles Times’ Fast Break Desk, specializing in breaking news. Prior to this role, he reported on criminal justice and breaking news at BuzzFeed News and covered crime for the Orange County Register. A native of Los Angeles, Hernandez joined the Times in 2022.