Rotting food stench still hangs over neighborhood weeks after massive warehouse blaze

Los Angeles residents of Boyle Heights are still living with the aftermath of a massive June 17 warehouse fire, as the stench of rotting food and ongoing pest problems continue to disrupt the neighborhood, according to reports.

Mayor Karen Bass said city attorneys are taking action against the company. Air quality regulators told FOX 11 that the disputed deadline has no impact on their ability to continue enforcement.

Lineage, meanwhile, said it's removed 93% of the more than 80 million pounds of spoiled food from the facility. The company has also rejected the idea that Friday marked its deadline, saying its 45-day timeline began July 7 and runs through Aug. 20, according to FOX 11. Lineage claims it is on day 37, the outlet reported.

The lingering odor is not the only problem residents have reported. 

Despite the cleanup progress, Lovett said he believes the situation has not received the level of attention it would have in some other parts of Los Angeles.

In a statement on its website, Lineage said, "From the moment it started, we have been on the ground in Boyle Heights listening and working alongside this community.

"Boyle Heights is not just where we operate," the company continued. "Lineage has been part of this neighborhood for over 20 years and the greater Los Angeles area for even longer, employing thousands of residents and contributing to the economic life of this city. We are committed to this community during this recovery, and beyond."

On July 27, Lineage applied for permits to rebuild the warehouse exactly as it was. 

Mayor Bass called this "a slap in the face" to the community and took executive action to halt the processing of those rebuilding plans, according to FOX 11.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued 25 notices of violation to Lineage for public nuisance as of early August, FOX 11 noted, with the LA County Public Health citing the company for unsanitary conditions and pest-control violations. 

"The progress made in 35 days of cleanup is nothing short of extraordinary," Jeff Rivera, Lineage's chief operating officer, said in a previous statement on the company's website.

Lineage said in its statement, as FOX 11 reported, "The timeline is dictated by the reality on the ground, not by our willingness or our resources, and we are expected to spend $100 million on our cleanup effort. We have spared no expense, held nothing back, and we are not slowing down. We will not stop until the job is done."

The company also said it is expecting more than 100,000 hours of work, an average of 400 workers a day and more than 4,000 truckloads of debris removed, said FOX 11. Lineage said it anticipates finishing bulk food removal by this Thursday - followed by spot cleaning, disinfecting and detailing through August 27. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Lineage Logistics and Boyle Heights officials for additional comment and details.