PVTIME – Lineage, a global cold storage infrastructure operator, has initiated civil proceedings in the Los Angeles Superior Court against solar developer Altus Power and its contracted service provider, Pearce Services LLC. Lineage is seeking more than $1 billion in compensation. The legal action stems from severe property damage caused by a fire involving a rooftop solar installation at the company’s refrigerated warehouse facility in Los Angeles. Lineage attributes the incident to negligent operational and maintenance practices by the two solar firms.
On 17 June, a major fire broke out at Lineage’s 46,500-square-metre cold storage site in Boyle Heights, which was storing approximately 85 million pounds of frozen food stock. The blaze burned continuously for eight days and prompted a local state of emergency. Remedial clearance and restoration work lasted two months, concluding on 5 September, with Lineage incurring costs of over $100 million.
While local fire authorities have yet to publish the results of their investigation, Lineage’s initial disclosures confirm that the fire occurred while Altus Power was carrying out an inspection of the site’s rooftop photovoltaic system. Court filings outline a history of unresolved safety hazards on the solar array, including a minor fire at the same facility in August 2024. Following this initial incident, Lineage required upgraded safety protocols prior to reactivating the system, leading Altus to commission Pearce Services to carry out technical adjustments.
By May 2026, more than 200 connector faults had been identified across the PV installation, including defective components in the area where the subsequent major fire originated. On 11 June, Lineage issued formal written guidance prohibiting system energisation before the completion of mandatory safety tests. Nonetheless, the defendants reactivated and operated the rooftop solar system between 5 and 17 June without completing the required safety verifications, and the catastrophic fire broke out during on-site work conducted by Pearce Services staff.
The litigation also alleges that Pearce Services installed thousands of unspecified jumper connections to adapt incompatible electrical equipment, creating widespread latent failure risks throughout the solar system. Lineage’s chief executive, Greg Lehmkuhl, has confirmed that there is documented evidence linking the fire directly to faults in the solar system, and has criticised the defendants for their lack of response during the community emergency.
Altus Power and its subsidiary have formally refuted all allegations, stating that Lineage’s claims contain inaccurate information and represent an attempt to evade corporate liability. The firm has suggested that the fire may have been caused by emissions from materials stored in the warehouse rather than by failure of the PV equipment, and intends to contest the claim in court.
Pearce Services has also denied any wrongdoing, stating that ongoing official investigations mean it is inappropriate to make premature judgements on the cause of the fire. The company has committed to fully cooperating with the relevant authorities and mounting a robust legal defence. No final judicial ruling on liability has been issued as the litigation remains ongoing.
