LAFD personnel and helicopters responded to the scene on Wednesday.
Cleanup is underway now at the Boyle Heights food storage warehouse that spewed smoke around L.A. earlier this month. (Alejandra Molina/Boyle Heights Beat)

Updated: 4:31 p.m. Friday, June 19

Shelter-in-place orders were lifted Friday after crews worked to ventilate a cold storage warehouse in Boyle Heights that caught fire on Wednesday.

In an alert around 11:30 a.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department said a smoke advisory remains in effect for Genasys zones 1239, 1241, 1279A, 1279B, and 1281 and that “individuals with sensitivity to smoke should continue to monitor AQMD Air Quality alerts.” An air quality advisory was extended until 12:30 p.m. Saturday for areas including Boyle Heights and East LA.

a map showing areas under a smoke advisory
Zones 1239, 1241, 1279A, 1279B, and 1281 remain under a smoke advisory Friday, June 19, 2026, LAPFD said. (Courtesy of Genasys Protect)

LAFD told KTLA that crews were able to remove the on-site ammonia tanks overnight.

The fire at a Boyle Heights commercial building Wednesday afternoon prompted a shelter-in-place order for hours due to hazardous materials, including ammonia.

The fire broke out at Lineage, a logistics company that offers cold storage services, according to the company’s website. 

A shelter-in-place order was lifted early Wednesday night, but the fire remained smoldering as of Thursday morning, and firefighting efforts continued. In reissuing a shelter in place order Thursday afternoon, officials reiterated calls for residents to stay indoors, close windows, and turn off their air conditioning until further notice.

Residents are also expressing concerns over long-term air quality. Here’s what we know.

What materials burned in the fire?

The fire spread across the building’s rooftop solar panels, prompting firefighters to use helicopters to take on the flames and prevent further spread. 

“Any sort of structure fire with [solar] panels burning, there’s going to be some sort of hazardous materials in the air,” LAFD firefighter Jennifer Middleton.

The fire also reached an ammonia line, causing it to off-gas the chemical, and adjacent structures were evacuated to keep people from breathing it in.

The ammonia is not toxic to individuals unless they have respiratory issues or come into direct contact with it, fire officials said. 

What to know about smoke and air quality 

A particle pollution advisory was in effect until at least 12:30 p.m. Saturday for an area including Boyle Heights, central LA and parts of Northeast LA.

At a press conference Thursday morning, LAFD officials said air quality was being monitored in the area, adding that there was no public threat.

However, residents in Boyle Heights reported concerns over smoke, ash and the lingering smell; the air remained acrid and smelled like plastic on Thursday morning.

Boyle Heights Beat reached out to the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the LA County Department of Public Health to ask about air quality levels and how officials determine whether there is a threat to public health. 

“Preliminary results from the mobile monitoring showed particulate matter was generally near background levels, however, elevated particulate matter concentrations were observed for a few seconds at a time within the plume,” the AQMD said. “During those few seconds, increased levels of bromine and chlorine were also observed. Bromine and chlorine are typically found at trace levels during structural fires and the levels seen were below short-term health-based exposure thresholds. Concentrations below this level are not expected to cause adverse health effects. No significant levels of air toxic metals were seen.”

As firefighting continues, people downwind may continue to notice poor air quality, the agency added. Smoke becomes cooler as firefighters gain control, causing it not to rise as dramatically into the air. 

What should residents do

The LA County Public Health Department issued guidance Wednesday on how residents can protect themselves. 

  • Officials recommend remaining indoors, keeping windows and doors closed, and limiting exposure to outdoor air if residents can see or smell smoke.
  • Residents with respiratory conditions should continue monitoring local air quality and exercise caution.
  • Run an air purifier if available, but avoid using air conditioners, which bring in outside air (you may qualify for a free one here)

What symptoms to watch for

Contact your doctor, go to urgent care or call 911 if you experience:

  • severe coughing
  • shortness of breath,
  • wheezing
  • chest pain,
  • palpitations
  • nausea
  • unusual fatigue

How to monitor air quality

LAist contributed to this story.

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.

My background: I’m originally from Fontana in the Inland Empire and have spent most of my career covering local news for Latino communities in Los Angeles. Most recently, I led coverage of the historic 2024 Latino vote in Nevada as editor of the Las Vegas Review-Journal en Español. Before that, I was the Bilingual Communities Reporter at the Long Beach Post, getting to know the city’s vibrant Spanish-speaking communities.

What I do: I cover topics that will help residents in Boyle Heights and East LA navigate and understand the issues they encounter in their everyday lives while also seeing themselves reflected in the stories we spotlight.

Why LA?: I have vivid memories of visiting El Mercadito in Boyle Heights with my family and indulging in gorditas, esquites and nieves de limón before our hour-long drives back to the IE. The struggles of underserved communities are felt across county borders and I’m eager to report on a community that reminds me of home.

The best way to contact me: My email is laura@boyleheightsbeat.org.

My background: I worked as a reporter and editor in the LA offices of BuzzFeed News and HuffPost for 10 years, covering breaking news, internet culture, criminal justice and more. Before that, I covered breaking news and communities in Orange County.

What I do: I work to plan coverage with our neighborhood news teams in Koreatown, Pico Union and Westlake, Boyle Heights and Inglewood and South LA. We aim to highlight the people who live in these communities and examine the issues affecting their lives, like housing, transportation and immigration. We also hold accountable local institutions, like city governments, law enforcement and schools.

Why LA?: Food, music, nature: Whatever you love, LA has the best.

The best way to contact me: claudia@thelalocal.org

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.

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