BOYLE HEIGHTS — The Los Angeles Police Department towed vehicles in Boyle Heights during emergency response efforts for a warehouse fire, prompting complaints from residents. City officials have since committed to returning affected vehicles to their owners without additional costs.

Cell phone video recorded at the scene showed nearly 10 vehicles being towed. Martin Ramirez, who owns an auto repair shop near the Lineage cold storage facility, expressed his concern in a video. "That's not fair, man. That's not me. I didn't cause the fire. ... It's not my fault, too. I ask you for time," Ramirez stated, also asking, "Why don't you guys give us time to move the car?"

LAPD officials reported that nine vehicles were towed, five of which had expired registrations and one was non-operational. An LAPD officer cited California Vehicle Code Section 22651(n) as the authority for towing vehicles parked in restricted zones.

Juan Canil had his truck impounded and was charged $100 in fees to retrieve it. Resident Maria Cuara commented on the situation, stating, "Right now, with all of the expense that everything is, it's very expensive. So, $100 is $100 that we can buy food too. But, he had to pay in order to take the car."

The office of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement regarding the towing actions. "In coordination with the incident commander at the Palos incident, the Los Angeles Police Department removed multiple vehicles from streets within the operational area to ensure critical fire apparatus had access," the statement said. It added, "These vehicles were blocking and impeding fire operations, and several were non-operational and required tow truck assistance for removal." Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, stated, "Those vehicles can be moved, but the owner should not and will not pay for the cost of the tow. That's something that has to be worn by the city."

The Mayor's office also acknowledged the impact on residents. "These actions have unfortunately created a hardship for residents and we are committed to returning their vehicles as quickly as possible without any additional costs," the statement said. The Official Police Garage, located at 608 N. Mission Road, has waived all towing and storage fees. However, the garage is unable to waive city fees that have already been charged. To retrieve a vehicle, residents must bring their vehicle registration or title and a matching ID to the garage, which operates from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.