Community leaders say the warehouse fire exposed major gaps in emergency response, raising concerns about toxic smoke, long-term health effects, financial assistance, and disaster preparedness.
If anyone knows Boyle Heights, it is Margarita Amador, a longtime activist in the area and a volunteer in every project that comes along that she believes will help her community. That is why she is hurt by what happened with the warehouse fire and worried about the short and long-term health effects on the community.
“Obviously, we were not prepared; we are not prepared for an incident like this,” she said firmly. “We did not have a plan, and we still do not have one. Boyle Heights is suffering from failed elected officials who do not take and have not taken residents into account. I am not going to stay quiet, I say things clearly, I do not worry about whether people like it or not,” Amador adds. She is secretary of the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council, works for LAUSD, and has been a longtime volunteer with Proyecto Pastoral, among many other community activities.
Her criticism is directed at councilmember Ysabel Jurado, whom she describes as a politician with no interest in Boyle Heights, who only showed up in the area because of the fire. “Who knows when she will come back. She does not come here, she knows she is not wanted, she does not know Boyle Heights…”
“I would like to hear the mayor, Karen Bass, say that residents will not have their electricity shut off. I would like to see a rent assistance program. I would like to see people supported with gift cards, tangible things we can see, not promises.”
The Boyle Heights fire was a massive warehouse blaze in Los Angeles that began in mid-June 2026 and lasted for more than a week. A fire broke out at a large cold storage warehouse in Boyle Heights near downtown Los Angeles that stored around 85 million pounds of frozen food. It started in the roof area, likely during work involving solar panels, though the exact cause is still under investigation.
The warehouse fire is now in the cleanup phase after burning for more than a week.
“Without the help of some nonprofit organizations, I do not know what would have happened; everything was a disaster. The authorities, mainly Jurado, acted slowly. Organizations like Proyecto Pastoral had to use their own resources to buy masks and air filters for the community.
Later, the councilmember showed up, and it seemed like she came just to take photos for Instagram. The flyers they published telling people to call were not answered; people became frustrated. An event of this nature should have had an immediate and well-organized response. Can you imagine if something like the earthquake in Venezuela happens? What can we expect? It seems we are at the mercy of improvisation. I am worried there is a pattern and we need to do something about it,” Margarita adds.
In the days after the fire, the community did not know what to do. Boyle Heights is a working-class community, with around 31,000 workers residing in the affected area who commute across Los Angeles for all types of jobs.
“Seniors were not going out, we had to go knock on their doors to check on them, there was no information table in one place. This required more organization.”
“Wearing an LAFD uniform is an honor; you have to earn it, not just put it on for photos. To wear a uniform, you have to meet high standards. We are very upset with her (Ysabel Jurado).”
HEALTH EFFECTS
The fire has been extinguished, and cleanup efforts have begun, but Amador’s attention is focused elsewhere.
“The health effects on people. I myself, who got sick during the COVID period, have felt the effects. We need to focus on evaluating the community, seeing what condition their health is in, and providing medical care; we need to mobilize in that direction. We know there was a shortage of air filters, but the way they were distributed was not adequate. Many people went to get filters just because they were free, not because they needed them. People came from far away, from San Bernardino, saying they had also been affected. But the affected area is here, we acted late, what are we going to do now?” she adds.
Margarita is consistent in her criticism of the councilmember, saying it was insulting that she was taking photos wearing an LAFD uniform, which she considers inappropriate.
“It is very insulting. Wearing an LAFD uniform is an honor; you have to earn it, not just put it on for photos. To wear a uniform, you have to meet high standards. We are very upset with her. This was not a disaster to turn into a photo opportunity. She knows she cannot walk alone in Boyle Heights. I repeat, she is not welcome,” she says angrily.
Another criticism she raises is the role played by certain influencers.
“All they are looking for is followers, the income they can get from their posts. During the week of the fire, where were they? The next day, while blocks away the warehouse was still burning, just four minutes away, councilmember Ysabel Jurado was organizing a World Cup watch party. It is inconceivable, Boyle Heights under flames, and she was celebrating a soccer match,” she says.
“Nobody was concerned. In the days after, I had to go to urgent care because I felt very sick, I could not smell, and my lungs were being affected… What is the extent of this damage? Seventy-five percent of firefighters’ work is dedicated to homelessness, overdoses, small fires, and other incidents. They also did not expect the fire to grow to this magnitude. Now we are facing a series of problems that need to be handled responsibly. Many people are asking for money without control; there is a swarm of lawyers going door to door in the community. None of this will solve the problems that were created. That is why I have said it before, people need to be careful about who they support or where money goes, because much of those resources do not reach the community…”
There are many challenges Amador wants addressed immediately. Health is one, but there are others, such as the cost of electricity, rent, and more.
“I would like to hear the mayor, Karen Bass, say that residents will not have their electricity shut off. I would like to see a rent assistance program. I would like to see people supported with gift cards, tangible things we can see, not promises. That is why I tell our community residents: we have to make the change; politicians come and go. I saw how authorities responded to the Palisades fire; it was very different.”
