Daijiworld Media Network - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, Jun 21: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Sunday declared a local emergency as firefighters continued battling a massive warehouse fire that has been burning since Wednesday, sending thick smoke across large parts of the metropolitan area and raising concerns over public health and environmental safety.
Mayor Bass said the emergency declaration would allow the city to access additional state resources needed to manage the prolonged operation and safeguard residents.
In a statement, she said city authorities were coordinating closely with California Governor Gavin Newsom's office as the situation had escalated into a serious public health concern.
The fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon at a cold-storage facility operated by Lineage Logistics near downtown Los Angeles. According to officials, the warehouse stores tens of millions of pounds of frozen food and covers an area of approximately 46,000 square metres.
Fire officials said the structure presents unique challenges because it was designed as a giant refrigerated facility, with corrugated steel walls filled with dense foam insulation and reinforced interior panels.
Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jaime Moore explained that once the insulation catches fire, it can continue smouldering for long periods, trapping heat and generating persistent smoke despite continuous efforts to douse the flames.
The incident also involved rooftop solar panels and an ammonia-based refrigeration system, prompting an immediate hazardous materials response.
Authorities said crews successfully contained the chemical threat by shutting off valves and removing ammonia and other refrigerants from the site. However, officials are now increasingly concerned about the vast amount of frozen food stored inside the building and the potential environmental consequences if it begins to decompose.
Chief Moore said the warehouse contained products such as frozen bread and meat. While he did not consider the situation immediately dangerous, he warned that decomposition could create a severe odour and release gases that may affect surrounding areas.
Firefighters have faced major obstacles in directly attacking the blaze. Unsafe interior conditions, including poor visibility, unstable debris and hidden pockets of fire, have prevented crews from entering the building.
As a result, authorities have relied heavily on external firefighting methods, including aerial ladder systems and repeated helicopter water drops — a relatively uncommon approach for a commercial building fire.
Officials said these measures have been aimed at cooling the structure and preventing the flames from spreading to nearby homes and adjoining industrial properties.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said smoke from the fire has spread across much of the city and urged residents to minimise outdoor exposure whenever possible.
Although no evacuation orders were in place as of Saturday, authorities warned that prolonged smoke exposure could irritate the respiratory system and pose greater health risks to children, senior citizens and individuals with pre-existing heart or lung conditions.
Officials confirmed that no injuries among firefighters or civilians had been reported so far.
Meanwhile, Lineage Logistics stated that preliminary information suggested the fire may have started while third-party contractors were conducting tests on the rooftop solar panel system. However, authorities said the exact cause remains under investigation.