A fire destroyed a large cold-storage warehouse in Los Angeles on 17 June, leaving behind over 85 million pounds of rotting food. The smell has plagued residents of Boyle Heights for nearly two months, with many comparing it to the stench of a dead body.
Frustration Mounts in Boyle Heights
Residents have grown frustrated with the slow clean-up process and the pungent odour hovering over the area. "It smells really bad, like really bad… to the point that you want to throw up," says Mesha, a 37-year-old security guard stationed outside a marijuana dispensary. Workers have been trying to clean up the rotting food for months, but the smell remains a major issue.
The Impact on Local Businesses
The smell has taken a toll on local businesses, including Alexis Sicairos' coffee stand, Brew Sting. "Due to the fire, obviously most of them aren’t here," Sicairos says. "So we lost those customers, but we also lost customers that don’t want to be around the smell, the smoke, the flies. It’s understandable. But we have to keep paying our bills, so we’re still here." The coffee stand has reopened, but the demand hasn’t been the same.
City Officials Under Pressure
City officials have come under pressure to respond to the situation. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has directed city departments to work with local, state, federal, nonprofit, and community partners to deliver immediate support and solutions. The city has brought mobile health clinics to the neighbourhood and delivered thousands of air purifiers. However, the mayor has also issued public health and safety violation notices to the company responsible for the warehouse, Lineage.
The Cleanup Effort
Lineage says that as of Monday, about 80% of the food waste had been removed. However, city officials say this is not enough and have issued public health and safety violation notices. The company has been fined $500-a-day for "unsanitary and nuisance" conditions by the county's public health department. The mayor has given Lineage a 13 August deadline to complete the cleanup, which is expected to cost between $80m and $100m.
Residents Demand Action
Residents are demanding action from the city and the company responsible for the warehouse. "Residents, public agencies, and elected officials have repeatedly sought timely information regarding the cleanup, remediation, environmental monitoring, and recovery," Mayor Bass wrote in a letter to Lineage shareholders. "Too often, those requests have been met with delayed communication, limited transparency, and insufficient public engagement." The mayor has also directed city departments to halt plans to rebuild the warehouse "until the health and safety of the community are protected".
Source: Joy Online
