Los Angeles declared a state of emergency due to a stubborn warehouse fire in Boyle Heights that has burned for days.
Here's a rundown of what we know:
What do we know about the cause of the fire?
Lineage Logistics, the tenant-operator of the building, said in a statement that it believes the fire began while third-party contractors were testing the solar array on the roof.
What does a state of emergency mean?
The declaration activates the city's emergency response structure, directs departments to assess damages and costs, and requests state assistance to support firefighting, cleanup, environmental monitoring and community recovery efforts. As of Saturday afternoon, the state has not declared an emergency.
Why has it been so hard to put out?
The fire broke out Wednesday and has burned for fourdays.
The 500,000-square-foot commercial building stores 85 million pounds of frozen food “like a giant cooler,†said Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jamie Moore. The corrugated steel walls are filled with very dense foam that is burning slowly and emitting gases despite ongoing water drops from helicopters.
LAFD Chief Deputy Jon O'Brien said Saturday that deep pockets of smoldering fire remain buried under structural debris and solar panels.
The building is so big and the flames are in such hard-to-reach areas that firefighters have needed to get creative with their approach, using water-dropping helicopters and other heavy equipment.
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What are the air quality and health impacts?
Moore cautioned people with lung issues or smoke sensitivity to avoid outdoor activities, but said crews have mitigated hazardous materials at the site. However they remain concerned about biohazards potentially posed by spoiled food.
L.A. County Health Officer Muntu Davis said the main public health concern was smoke and fine particles that can cause irritation of the ear, nose, throat and lungs, as well as exacerbate heart and lung conditions.
Sensitive individuals were encouraged to wear well-fitting N95 and P100 masks, and to register for emergency notifications at alertla.org.
What about the battery risk?
Officials have spoken of the possibility of lithium-ion batteries within the building. Batteries are often used to store energy produced by solar panels, although officials could not immediately confirm whether that was the case in Boyle Heights.
However, they said the building does house about 60 forklifts that run on lithium-ion batteries, although those are “currently unburned.†The threat posed by the batteries was at least mitigated when 56 of the forklifts were moved or isolated from the flames in a dangerous operation, LAFD Battalion Chief Nicholas Ferrari said.
