health
LA firefighters battle warehouse blaze amid concerns over billowing smoke
Newsom declares state of emergency as crews continue to fight stubborn Boyle Heights fire that has raged for days
TL;DR
- Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Los Angeles to provide additional resources to combat a warehouse fire in Boyle Heights.
- The fire, which started Wednesday in a cold storage facility, has been burning for five days, making complete extinguishment difficult due to lingering dangers within the building.
- Smoke from the fire has blanketed the city, affecting air quality and causing concern among residents about potential health risks and disruptions to businesses.
- A ruptured ammonia line during initial firefighting efforts added danger to the blaze, leading to temporary shelter-in-place orders for residents.
- The fire department is working to contain the fire, which is confined to one side of the building, and will later address the biohazard challenges posed by 85 million pounds of spoiled food.
- State and local officials have opened smoke relief centers and made N95 respirator masks and air purifiers available to affected communities.