California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency for Los Angeles as firefighters continue to battle a massive blaze at a cold storage facility in Boyle Heights (a working-class neighbourhood in east Los Angeles), now burning into its fifth day. The fire, which broke out Wednesday after the roof of a 500,000-square-foot warehouse ignited, has been partially contained to one side of the building, but a ruptured ammonia line, near-zero visibility inside, and some 85 million pounds of rotting food have severely hampered full suppression efforts. Smoke blanketing wide areas of the city has prompted authorities to distribute N95 respirator masks and open relief centres, while residents with pre-existing health conditions have begun evacuating the area voluntarily.