Cleanup crews are hauling away an estimated 85 million pounds of spoiled food from a Lineage Logistics cold‑storage facility in Boyle Heights after a fire gutted the building earlier this year. The operation is being overseen by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, which is coordinating the removal to prevent any public‑health risks associated with the decaying inventory.
The fire, which broke out at the Lineage Logistics warehouse in August 2026, caused extensive damage to the structure and left the refrigerated storage areas without power. Without temperature control, the stored food began to rot, prompting a rapid response from health officials. Teams equipped with protective gear have been working around the clock to extract the compromised product, loading it onto trucks for disposal in accordance with county regulations.
Officials from the county department have emphasized the importance of eliminating the rotting food to avoid the spread of bacteria, mold, and other contaminants that could affect nearby residents. The removal effort involves multiple crews and specialized equipment capable of handling the massive quantity of material, which includes a variety of perishable items that were originally stored for distribution throughout the region.
The Boyle Heights site, owned by Lineage Logistics, remains closed while investigators determine the cause of the fire. In the meantime, the public‑health cleanup continues, with the department monitoring the surrounding area for any signs of environmental impact. The scale of the removal underscores the challenges faced when industrial food storage facilities experience catastrophic damage, and it highlights the coordinated response required to protect community health.