safety
Businesses say smoke from Boyle Heights warehouse fire is keeping customers away
By Tracey Leong at NBC Los Angeles (KNBC)
· June 23, 2026
· 2 min read
After days of thick smoke covering the region from the warehouse fire in Boyle Heights, conditions are finally improving — a positive sign for some nearby businesses that say the smoke has been keeping customers away.
The fire sparked last Wednesday at the 500,000-square-foot building, which w...
Key takeaway The fire sparked last Wednesday at the 500,000-square-foot building, which was being leased by Lineage for use as a cold-storage facility and holding about 85 million pounds of frozen food.
Why this matters in The Los Angeles
The economic impact of the warehouse fire in Boyle Heights is being felt by local businesses, with some reporting significant drops in customer traffic due to the poor air quality. For small business owners like Claudia Hernandez, a 70% decline in customers is a stark reminder of the fire's far-reaching effects on the community. The fire's proximity to residential areas and commercial corridors has made it a major concern for public health and economic stability. As the Los Angeles Fire Department works to extinguish the blaze, local businesses are bracing for a potentially long recovery period. The city's response to supporting affected businesses will be crucial in helping them rebound from the losses incurred during this period. With the fire's cause still under investigation, the community will be watching to see what measures are taken to prevent similar incidents in the future and mitigate the effects on local commerce.
About this story
Original reporting by NBC Los Angeles (KNBC) . The Los Angeles surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit NBC Los Angeles (KNBC) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: safety ·
Published: June 23, 2026 ·
Source: NBC Los Angeles (KNBC) ·
Reading time: 2 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? After days of thick smoke covering the region from the warehouse fire in Boyle Heights, conditions are finally improving — a positive sign for some nearby businesses that say the smoke has been keeping customers away.
The fire sparked last Wednesday at the 500,000-square-foot building, which w...
When was this published? This article was first published on June 23, 2026 by NBC Los Angeles (KNBC) and curated for The Los Angeles readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Tracey Leong at NBC Los Angeles (KNBC). To learn more about how The Los Angeles selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more safety coverage from The Los Angeles, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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