The Lineage warehouse fire was knocked down Wednesday evening, but many questions remain.
Over the past week, residents in Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles and surrounding communities have asked about air quality, public health, emergency response and accountability.
We collected dozens of questions through Instagram, email, text messages, voicemails and in person at smoke relief shelters. We sorted, organized and presented them to Councilmember Ysabel Jurado and Supervisor Hilda Solis.
We received responses from Jurado and Kimberly Ortega-Palacios, communications director for Solis.
These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
Why was an evacuation order never issued for residents living within blocks of the fire, and who made that call?
Jurado: Decisions regarding evacuations and shelter-in-place orders are made by emergency management and public safety agencies based on conditions on the ground and guidance from technical experts.
Throughout this incident, agencies determined that shelter-in-place guidance and smoke advisories were the appropriate protective actions.
Solis rep: The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), as the lead agency managing the incident, is responsible for assessing conditions and determining whether evacuation orders are necessary. These decisions are made by emergency response officials based on factors such as fire behavior, air quality monitoring, and overall public safety conditions.
Questions regarding the specific decision not to issue an evacuation order, including who made that determination and what criteria were used, should be directed to LAFD.
AQMD monitoring detects particulate matter but doesn’t identify specific chemicals, metals, plastics, or vapors. What independent testing has been commissioned to identify exactly what residents have been breathing, and when will those results be made public?
Jurado: Right now, no independent testing has been commissioned through my office. Instead, I’m focused on making sure agencies fully release and explain the testing and monitoring information they already have.
I introduced a motion calling for the public release of air quality and environmental testing information in a way residents can actually understand. My motion is intended to bring that information into the open so residents can get clear answers instead of rumors, speculation, or incomplete information.
Solis rep: Supervisor Solis introduced an urgency motion in response to the Los Palos Incident, which was approved at the Tuesday, June 23 LA County Board of Supervisors meeting. The motion directs the Department of Public Health and the Chief Executive Office – Office of Emergency Management to coordinate with State and Federal regulatory partners on ongoing air-quality and environmental-health monitoring in impacted communities.
Residents on streets including 8th, Calada, Opal, and Garnet report receiving no door-to-door notification, and many older and working-class residents don’t use social media. Why weren’t field deputies deployed to reach those households directly?
Jurado: From the beginning, my team has prioritized direct outreach in the neighborhoods closest to the warehouse. Council District 14 staff, community organizations, and volunteers have spent days knocking on doors, delivering masks and air purifiers, answering questions, and sharing information in both English and Spanish.
That said, if residents on 8th, Calada, Opal, Garnet, or any other block feel they didn’t receive information directly, I take that seriously. The work is still ongoing, and we will continue adjusting our outreach based on what residents tell us they need.
Solis rep: Supervisor Solis’ office has been prioritizing outreach and support for residents in unincorporated East Los Angeles, which falls under County jurisdiction. Since the start of the incident, staff have been deployed to conduct door-to-door outreach. This outreach has included delivering information, distributing air purifiers and masks, and connecting residents to resources such as the smoke respite shelter at City Terrace Park.
We understand that not every household has been reached, but teams are actively in the field and continuing outreach efforts wherever possible.
Given that entire neighborhoods are affected, why are elders, children, and people with health conditions being asked to wait in lines for air purifiers rather than having supplies delivered door-to-door by city or county employees in proper PPE?
Jurado: The resource distribution effort led by Council District 14 doesn’t require residents to wait in line for air purifiers.
Since the start of the emergency, we have prioritized direct outreach and door-to-door delivery, particularly for residents living closest to the warehouse. Residents who request assistance through our resource system are contacted directly by our team and offered delivery or pickup options based on their needs and available resources.
Solis rep: Supervisor Solis’ office has been deploying a combination of distribution methods, including fixed locations and field-based outreach, to get air purifiers, masks, and information to residents as quickly as possible. At the same time, not every household can be reached immediately through door-to-door delivery given the scale of the entire East Los Angeles community, but teams from the Supervisor’s office have been actively conducting outreach where possible and prioritizing areas with the highest reported impacts and vulnerability.
What specific long-term health monitoring program is being established for residents exposed to six-plus days of smoke and combustion byproducts and what is the funding source and timeline?
Jurado: I believe those conversations need to begin now, not months from now. Residents who have been exposed to days of smoke, ash, and odors deserve clear guidance on symptoms to watch for, when to seek care, how exposure concerns will be documented, and what public health follow-up may be appropriate.
I’ve been pushing for clear public reporting, environmental testing results, and ongoing public health guidance.
Solis rep: If a resident does not have a medical provider but has health concerns, or has questions about the health impact of the smoke and airborne particulate matter, they can contact the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Community Health Line at 626-430-9821. The hotline is staffed by healthcare professionals, and it is and will continue to be available seven days per week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. If at any time anyone experiences shortness of breath, chest pain, heart palpitations, or any other urgent health concerns, they should call 911 immediately.
Beyond air quality, what monitoring and remediation is planned for soil and groundwater contamination and who is responsible for cleaning streets, homes, schools, yards, and public spaces in the affected area?
Jurado: My focus is on making sure agencies provide a clear public accounting of what testing has been conducted, what additional testing is planned, and what cleanup and remediation measures will be required moving forward. That includes questions about ash, debris, soil, surfaces, groundwater, schools, parks, homes, and other community spaces.
And once investigators determine responsibility, the parties that contributed to the harm caused by this fire should be held accountable for cleanup, remediation, and other appropriate costs.
Solis rep: Beyond air-quality monitoring, additional environmental assessment needs including potential soil or surface contamination and cleanup of impacted public areas are being evaluated as part of the ongoing incident response led by the City of Los Angeles through the Los Angeles Fire Department. Coordination with County, State, and other relevant agencies is occurring through that incident structure, and specific operational responsibilities may vary depending on jurisdiction and the type of impact.
What concrete steps are you taking to hold Lineage legally and financially accountable for harm done to residents – including medical costs, property damage, and long-term health impacts?
Jurado: Accountability begins with facts. I introduced a motion seeking answers about the cause of the fire, the facility’s compliance history, inspections, and oversight systems. This is about asking whether the systems that are supposed to protect residents worked as intended, whether there were warning signs, and whether communities like Boyle Heights are receiving the level of oversight and protection they deserve.
Boyle Heights didn’t create this crisis, and Boyle Heights should not be left to carry the burden of cleaning it up.
Solis rep: The Board of Supervisors approved a motion authored by Supervisor Solis to ensure accountability for the Los Palos Incident will be pursued through a full investigation and coordinated action with City, State, and federal partners.
Her urgency motion directs county departments to work with regulatory agencies to assess environmental and public health impacts and review the facility’s safety and inspection history to determine what enforcement actions may be warranted.
The motion also directs county departments and county counsel to explore the establishment of a claims process for impacted residents, workers, and businesses to help provide a pathway for recovery of losses related to the incident.
Who approved this facility’s placement in a residential community, and what role did residents have in that process? Will CD14 commit to requiring meaningful community input before similar industrial facilities are permitted near homes in the future? (directed at Jurado only)
Jurado: Yes. I believe residents should have meaningful notice and a real opportunity to be heard when industrial uses with potential environmental or public health impacts are located near homes, schools, parks, and small businesses.
Despite its close proximity to residential blocks, the warehouse sits on land zoned for heavy industrial use. That reflects a long history of Boyle Heights being asked to shoulder environmental burdens that many other communities don’t.
As part of the follow-up to this fire, I want the City to examine whether our current notification, permitting, inspection, and enforcement systems are adequately protecting communities like Boyle Heights. When a major industrial fire happens here, the response can’t be slow, vague, or incomplete. Boyle Heights deserves the same urgency, transparency, and protection as any other community in Los Angeles.
