Los Angeles warehouse fire prompts shelter-in-place over hazardous air

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A fire at a massive warehouse blackened the skies near downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday afternoon, prompting shelter-in-place orders in the area due to the risk of hazardous air.

Los Angeles firefighters responded around 2:30 p.m. to the blaze, which was sending large plumes of dark smoke into the air in the Boyle Heights neighborhood. Local news stations showed smoke billowing from the burning roof of the warehouse, which was covered in solar panels.

The sky is filled with smoke from a warehouse fire in Los Angeles on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Officials issued an alert to the area shortly after, warning of “hazardous materials nearby.” Residents were told to close all windows, doors and vents, turn off air conditioning and bring people and pets to an inside room.

Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) spokesperson Jennifer Middleton said there was previous concern over the fire burning an ammonia line, but that danger had “dissipated.” The roof blaze had been extinguished by late afternoon and firefighters were entering the building to assess the interior, Middleton said.

Water is dropped by helicopter at a warehouse fire in the Boyle Heights section of Los Angeles on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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The building at the address is listed online as a cold storage warehouse owned by Lineage Logistics for the transport of frozen or other temperature-controlled goods. It contains 491,000 square feet (45,600 square meters) of warehouse space, according to its website. The company did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

No injuries were immediately reported. It was unclear what sparked the blaze.

The solar panels on the same building also caught fire in August 2024, but LAFD crews were able to douse that blaze in less than an hour with no injuries.

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado, who represents the area, issued a statement saying, “Our office is closely monitoring the fire at the cold storage facility on the 1400 block of South Los Palos Street in Boyle Heights. We know how frightening it is to see heavy smoke in your neighborhood, especially for families, workers, small businesses, and commuters who are trying to understand what is happening and how to stay safe.”

Mayor Karen Bass urged people to heed shelter-in-place warnings.

“I urge everyone in the impacted area to get indoors immediately, close windows and doors, turn off air conditioning, and avoid unnecessary travel to the area,” Bass said on social media. “I want to thank the brave LAFD and public safety personnel who responded quickly and remain on scene.”

According to the Lineage website, the facility offers cold storage, customs brokerage, drayage and blast freezing. The facility “is built to handle high-volume inventory and streamline … global cold chain from production floor to international delivery.” (With AP and CNS reports)

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