Lineage Cold Storage Warehouse Fire in Boyle Heights Raises Ammonia Exposure Concerns
A fire at the Lineage cold storage warehouse in Boyle Heights, which burned for eight days in June, has led to ongoing concerns about anhydrous ammonia exposure in the community. The facility used thousands of pounds of this toxic refrigerant. While Lineage spokesperson Melanie Mendoza stated that ammonia levels never posed a health risk, residents have reported symptoms such as sore throats, skin rashes, headaches, irritated eyes, and worsened asthma. Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) records, obtained by Capital & Main, indicate that firefighters identified an 'active amonia [sic] leak' on the roof shortly after the fire began on June 17. Despite initial denials from Lineage and conflicting statements from LAFD Chief Jaime Moore, recent air monitoring by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) and Lineage's own contractor, Onterris, detected elevated ammonia levels weeks after the fire, some exceeding California's safety guidelines for short-term exposure. 
