Los Angeles Meat Cold Storage Facility Fire Finally Extinguished

A week-long fire at a Los Angeles cold storage facility that handles frozen foods including meat and seafood has finally been contained.

On June 17, fire broke out at Lineage’s Big Bear facility in the Boyle Heights neighborhood in the central part of Los Angeles. The operation holds seafood, pork, beef and poultry before shipment to West Coast grocery stores and restaurants, according to Lineage and news reports.

“Lineage is committed to the fastest cleanup that is possible without sacrificing health, safety, and regulatory compliance. We are ready to start the cleanup as soon as LAFD turns over the building to its owner and to us as its tenant operator. We have already hired Signal Restoration Services, an industry-leading cleanup firm, to lead our efforts, and we have already staged cleanup equipment onsite. To ensure we can move forward as fast as possible, we urge the various government agencies involved to quickly address any permitting or other approvals necessary to begin cleanup.” Lineage said in a release.

This site is used to store and distribute frozen food – not hazardous materials – and is part of a larger supply chain network that feeds millions in the greater Los Angeles area and beyond, according to the release.

“Our team quickly removed ammonia from the facility, with no concentrations of ammonia being detected in the air at any time since the fire began. Firefighters will continue to be stationed on site to address any hotspots and support safety measures for cleanup crews. Robust plans for disinfection, odor control, and pest control will be implemented, and we are exploring multiple avenues to minimize disruption to the community including the use of water-tight trailers and containers to transport waste offsite.

“Our cleanup continues our commitment to support the community:We have been deeply engaged with the LAFD, and our team identified and funded Chinook helicopters to make massive water drops and high-powered water cannons that made a huge difference in fighting this fire. We have delivered masks, air purifiers and food to the community, and contributed $2 million to the California Community Foundation that it is rapidly deploying as community needs emerge. The knockdown of this fire is a testament to the bravery, expertise, and extraordinary efforts of the firefighters on scene. We are grateful for the swift and ongoing actions of the LAFD and surrounding agencies and continue to be grateful that there have been no injuries reported.

“Cold storage warehouses are essential infrastructure. They keep perishable food safe as it moves from farms and ports to grocery stores. This is not a new or experimental industry. Refrigerated warehousing has operated in Los Angeles for more than a century (with some century-old facilities still operating) and is clustered around the region’s goods-movement network, including the rail yards, freight corridors, and later the freeway system along the LA River and east of Downtown. The geography of this network dates back to the late 1800s.