Los Angeles declares emergency over Boyle Heights warehouse fire

A large cold‑storage warehouse in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles caught fire on June 17, 2026. The 500,000‑square‑foot facility holds about 85 million pounds of frozen food, and the blaze is complicated by foam insulation, a suspected ammonia leak and melted solar panels, which have created zero visibility inside the building.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a state of emergency on June 20, seeking state and federal resources and opening 24‑hour shelters for residents unable to stay indoors. Initially a shelter‑in‑place order was issued, urging residents to seal windows, doors and ventilation, and to turn off air‑conditioning. The order was later lifted, but a smoke advisory remains as thick black smoke continues to drift across the city. The fire department reports no injuries and says hazardous‑material risks have been largely contained, though bio‑hazard concerns from the remaining food persist.

The emergency declaration also triggered California’s Disaster Assistance Act, allowing faster access to disaster funds. Air‑quality officials advise people, especially those with respiratory conditions, to limit outdoor activity and keep windows closed. Firefighters continue to fight hot spots with water drops from helicopters and large‑scale pumps while investigators examine the cause of the fire.