Mosaic News

Buy Me A Coffee
News without borders
Tuesday, 14 July 2026
Mosaic News is free to read — but not free to run. Your (monthly) donation keeps it going. →
United States

LA warehouse fire forces shelter-in-place order in Boyle Heights

Thursday, 18 June 2026, 06:20 · 1 min read

A fire broke out Wednesday at a 500,000 sq-ft cold storage facility in Boyle Heights (a neighbourhood near downtown Los Angeles) owned by refrigeration company Lineage, engulfing the solar panel-covered roof and releasing toxic ammonia fumes into the surrounding area. Around 110 firefighters and hazmat teams responded, but were forced to retreat after an ammonia line burst, prompting officials to deploy helicopters for aerial water drops; Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass urged nearby residents to stay indoors, close windows, and switch off air conditioning. The blaze was largely contained by the evening, though concerns remain over potential lithium-ion battery storage on site, which can trigger hard-to-extinguish "thermal runaway" fires.

Sources
The GuardianShelter-in-place ordered in LA as blaze engulfs roof of 500,000 sq-ft warehouse ↗︎
This article was automatically compiled by AI from the sources above. It may contain inaccuracies. Always read the original sources for the full context.