Los Angeles Declares Local Emergency Over Major Warehouse Fire

On the 20th local time, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement saying that, as a large commercial warehouse fire in the city continues to burn, the city has declared a local state of emergency to ensure it has the resources needed in the coming days to continue efforts to extinguish the large warehouse fire.

On the 17th local time, a large commercial warehouse facility in downtown Los Angeles, the largest city in the western United States, suddenly caught fire. The flames ignited solar panels on the roof and produced large amounts of toxic smoke. As the fire may involve hazardous materials, the Los Angeles Fire Department has issued a shelter-in-place order for surrounding areas.

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Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jamie Moore stated on the 20th that this fire is “very unusual,” with approximately 46,000 square meters of building space storing 85 million pounds (about 38,600 tons) of frozen food, “like a huge refrigerated box.” The high-density foam materials filling the building’s walls are burning slowly. Helicopters continue to conduct aerial firefighting, but gases are still being released from the fire scene.

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Moore reminded people with lung diseases or sensitivity to smoke to avoid outdoor activities. He also stated that firefighters have handled hazardous materials on site while paying attention to the biological hazards posed by the decaying food.

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