What You Need to Know
• The June 17 fire at Lineage’s cold storage facility in Los Angeles burned for a week and prompted a state of emergency.
• Arkansas-based Onterris was hired to test air quality and reported low levels of hazardous gases.
• Environmental advocates have criticized Onterris for downplaying health risks in previous environmental disasters.
On June 17, 2026, a massive fire broke out at a 500,000-square-foot cold storage facility owned by Lineage Logistics in Los Angeles, California, burning for a week and leading to a state of emergency. To address public concerns about air quality, Lineage hired Onterris, which reported “good” air quality and low levels of hazardous gases. However, independent air pollution experts and local activists have raised doubts about the adequacy of Onterris’s testing, suggesting it may not accurately reflect the environmental impact of the fire. Onterris, previously known as the Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, has faced criticism for its past assessments, including a controversial case in East Palestine, Ohio, where its findings were deemed insufficient by independent experts.
Why It Matters
The situation highlights ongoing concerns about environmental safety and corporate accountability in the wake of disasters. Onterris’s history of downplaying health risks raises questions about the reliability of environmental assessments conducted by companies with ties to the industries they evaluate. The fire at Lineage’s facility and the subsequent air quality testing are part of a broader narrative regarding environmental oversight and public health in urban areas, particularly following incidents involving hazardous materials. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for communities facing similar risks in the future.
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