LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has pledged to spend more time in Boyle Heights, including at night, after residents at a highly raucous community meeting told her the odors from the Lineage Logistics warehouse worsen after dark.

Bass, who was booed along with Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis by visibly angry residents as they took the stage at the meeting at Stevenson Middle School Thursday night, apologized for confusion surrounding the city's response, acknowledged that the smoke generated by the fire was harmful and pledged multiple environmental investigations into the eight-day blaze.

She also promised to survey warehouses across the Eastside, South Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley for potential environmental risks, and hold Lineage Logistics and "any other corporation accountable" for harm caused to surrounding communities.

Lineage Global Chief Operations Officer Jeff Rivera also apologized to residents.

"I'm sorry for the disruption this has caused," Rivera said.

Rivera said the company was expanding its response by conducting door- to-door outreach to residents closest to the warehouse, providing housing assistance through 211 LA, grocery vouchers, cash assistance, air conditioners, air purifiers and utility bill assistance.

Rivera also announced plans to begin a community support hotline early next week.

Rivera said approximately 200 workers were engaged in cleanup operations around the clock. He said roughly 1.4 million pounds of fire-damaged material had been removed, another 3.2 million pounds had been staged for removal, and demolition was underway.

Rivera said the city's 45-day cleanup target was aggressive, noting similar incidents can take up to six months to remediate.

As the meeting shifted to public comment, residents questioned the city's response, medical care, relocation assistance and the potential long- term health effects of the fire.

Boyle Heights resident Maria Lopez urged officials to experience the conditions firsthand, saying, "I would like for you to come sleep where we sleep, so you can experience what we have to go through."

Other residents questioned why the warehouse should be allowed to reopen, criticized communication failures and demanded stronger protections for surrounding neighborhoods. Several also questioned why lessons had not been learned following a 2024 fire at the same facility.

South Coast Air Quality Management District officials told residents that monitoring during the fire detected no elevated levels of metals or hydrogen fluoride.

Hours before the meeting, Lineage Logistics which operated the cold- storage warehouse, announced a series of community support efforts, specifically:

-- vouchers for short-term hotel and rental assistance for "residents who choose to temporarily relocate during the cleanup and remediation process";

-- delivery of more air purifiers, air conditions and masks to residents, with company officials saying they have already distributed more than 600 air purifiers and 2,000 masks as part of its earlier community donation;

-- provision of grocery vouchers redeemable at a Food4Less store on Olympic Boulevard;

-- cash assistance provided through pre-paid cards; and

-- support to assist residents with payments of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power utility bills.

Lineage officials said the company has to date provided residents with roughly 7,000 meals in partnership with the LA Regional Food Bank.

"The people living and working in the community deserve timely results and meaningful support," Lineage CEO Greg Lehmkuhl said in a statement. "Over the last several days, we have been meeting with local elected officials and engaging community organizations and leaders to understand how we can best help our neighbors. At the same time, demolition is underway and cleanup is progressing. Right now, our top priority is simple: get this site cleaned up as quickly and safely as possible."

The fire broke out June 17 at the warehouse at 1400 S. Los Palos St. and raged for eight days, sending a massive amount of smoke into the atmosphere and prompting warnings for nearby residents to stay inside.

The city, county and state all issued local emergency declarations in the days following the fire.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but Lineage officials have said they believe the fire started while a subcontractor working for Altus Power, which owns the solar array on top of the building, was conducting tests on the panels.

Altus Power has stated its first concern is for the community affected by the fire.

According to Lineage, demolition work on the building officially began Monday. Efforts to remove the 85 million pounds of rotting food, along with other debris, from the facility are continuing. The company said it hired expert help to control vermin that converged on the tons of rotting food.

Company officials said Thursday they hope to complete debris removal from the site within 45 days.

"In addition to core demolition and debris removal, Lineage has wrapped portions of the building with a temporary enclosure barrier to help contain debris, reduce odors and dampen noise for neighboring residents," according to the company. "Misting systems are operating continuously around the building exterior to further reduce smells. Cleanup crews remain on site around the clock.

"... Lineage is committed to providing regular cleanup updates to the community through its website, social media, door-to-door outreach, printed flyers and ongoing community meetings. For the latest information, cleanup progress updates and community resources, please visit: onelineage.com/lospalos."

A community health clinic will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at Lou Costello Recreation Center.

Gary and Shannon

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