LAFD unable to determine cause of massive Boyle Heights warehouse fire

A months-long probe by the Los Angeles Fire Department into the June blaze that engulfed the roof of Lineage's cold-storage warehouse in Boyle Heights ended without a definitive cause, citing only an unexplained electrical event near the solar panel array. The fire began in the "Grid 2" portion of the 12,400-panel system, but the department could not rule out the panels, their equipment, or the testing activities as possible sources.

Councilmember Ysabel Jurado criticized the inconclusive finding, stressing the need for accountability to prevent future disasters, while Mayor Karen Bass pledged to block any rebuilding on the site. Lineage has filed a lawsuit against Altus Power and its contractor Pearce Services, claiming the firms re-energized the array despite known connector failures and used incompatible rapid-shutdown devices, raising fire risk. Residents have endured weeks of smoke, foul odors, and health concerns as cleanup crews removed millions of pounds of rotting meat and debris.