White smoke billowed out of a cold storage facility in Boyle Heights on Friday, June 19, 2026. (Jessica Perez/Boyle Heights Beat)
A large plume of white smoke billowed out of a cold storage facility on Friday afternoon, two days after the fire first ignited at the Boyle Heights warehouse.
A shift in the wind caused the fire to flare-up inside the warehouse, according the Los Angeles Fire Department, which was expected.
“More smoke is currently visible in the area of this incident; however, there is no additional hazard,” LAFD said in a statement shortly after 5 p.m. Friday.
A thick cloud of smoke descends over a street near a cold storage warehouse after a reported flare-up on Friday, June 19, 2026. (Jessica Perez/Boyle Heights Beat)
Residents near the facility on S. Los Palos Street reported a strong smell as they watched the smoke rise up and vehicles driving in that direction turned around as it appeared that the fire reignited shortly before 5 p.m.
Gabriela Dueñas lives less than a mile from the warehouse and put on a mask while she sheltered indoors at her home.
“It smells horrible outside. More ashes are falling now. Seems like the fire is inside the structure now,” Dueñas said just before 5 pm on Friday.
Firefighters were at the scene dousing the building. LAFD spokesperson Lyndsey Lantz said that the white smoke was a sign that firefighters were getting water on the flames and brown smoke likely meant that materials were burning.
“We want to assure people that we expected that change due to the wind”,” Lantz said. “Our crews were prepared for that.”
LAFD does not expect a shelter-in-place will be put into effect.
Firefighters work to put out a flare-up at a cold storage facility in Boyle Heights on Friday, June 19, 2026. (Steve Saldivar / The LA Local)
The fire broke out Wednesday, prompting an hours-long shelter-in-place order due to hazardous materials, including ammonia.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District on Friday extended a particle pollution advisory to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, and a smoke advisory remains in effect in the area for an area including Boyle Heights, central Los Angeles, and parts of Northeast LA.
Early monitoring showed particles were generally present at background levels, AQMD said, but for several seconds at a time, they found increased levels of bromine and chlorine.
“Bromine and chlorine are typically found at trace levels during structural fires and the levels seen were below short-term health-based exposure thresholds,” AQMD said. “Concentrations below this level are not expected to cause adverse health effects. No significant levels of air toxic metals were seen.”
My background: I was born in Mexico and raised in Boyle Heights, where I got my start in journalism by launching a community blog. Most recently, I worked at the Los Angeles Times and have spent most of my career covering local news in LA, with a focus on community-centered stories, Latino communities and mentoring emerging writers.
What I do: I lead coverage of Boyle Heights and East LA across all platforms to inform, connect and uplift our community. I spend my days listening, planning, editing and coordinating to make sure our stories reflect the community fairly, while supporting and mentoring my team of reporters and freelancers so they can grow along the way.
Why LA?: It’s home. It’s the sounds of Spanglish and other languages, the smell of tacos and kimchi, the way street art tells stories and how, even though I hate traffic, I love how the freeways can take me to the beach or the mountains on a whim.
The best way to contact me: My email is jessica.perez@boyleheightsbeat.org.
My background: I was part of the team that launched De Los, a new section of the Los Angeles Times exploring Latino identity. I’ve been a local reporter for The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, and The Orange County Register. You can find my writing on religion, food, and culture in The Atlantic, Eater, the Associated Press, the Washington Post, and Religion News Service. My upbringing spans South Central, El Monte, and Pomona.
What I do: A Report for America corps member, I write about how decisions surrounding immigration, city hall, schools, health, religion and culture impact Boyle Heights and East LA. I do this by spending time with residents and community members, reaching out to civic and elected leaders, and by analyzing related research. I've also mentored Boyle Heights Beat youth journalists.
Why LA: It’s where I’m from. Reporting and living here means appreciating the different neighborhood identities that make up LA. Also, nothing beats walking along the LA River, hiking at Debs Park, or catching a sunset while running on the Sixth Street Bridge in Boyle Heights.
The best way to contact me: My email is alejandra.molina@boyleheightsbeat.org.
