Police say a worker was arrested after a six-alarm blaze destroyed a huge paper products distribution center.
ONTARIO, CA — A social media video that appears to show a worker setting fire to pallets inside an Ontario warehouse is now central to an arson case after a six-alarm blaze destroyed a 1.2 million square foot distribution center early Tuesday and forced about 20 employees to evacuate.
The fire tore through a Kimberly-Clark distribution site operated by NFI Industries, a logistics company, and quickly grew so intense that firefighters had to pull crews out and fight the blaze from outside. Police later arrested 29-year-old Chamel Abdulkarim of Highland on arson related allegations. The video, which circulated online a day after the fire, added a possible clue about motive because the person filming is heard talking about pay as flames spread through stacks of paper goods.
Authorities said the fire was first reported at about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday at the warehouse near South Hellman Avenue and Merrill Avenue in Ontario, east of Los Angeles. The building stored paper products, including well known household brands, and those materials helped the flames move fast. Fire officials said crews were quickly forced into a defensive posture because of rapid fire growth and the risk of collapse. By daylight, thick smoke still rose from the building and the roof had fallen in across large sections of the site. Police identified Abdulkarim as an employee of NFI Industries, which operated the center for Kimberly-Clark. In the video that spread online Wednesday, a person seen moving through the warehouse appears to use a lighter to ignite wrapped pallets while saying, “All you had to do was pay us enough to live.” Investigators have not publicly said whether the video has been fully authenticated in court, but police said they were investigating it as part of the case.
Officials said about 20 workers were inside when the fire broke out, and all got out safely. No injuries were reported, an important detail in a blaze that firefighters described as one of the region’s largest industrial fires in recent memory. News video from the scene showed flames punching through the roofline and smoke visible for miles as ladder trucks poured water onto the structure. Reports from local outlets said roughly 175 firefighters responded as the blaze climbed to six alarms. Witnesses described a sudden scramble after the fire was spotted during a break in overnight operations. One worker told local television he had spoken with the accused man minutes before the fire and later realized he was missing during a head count outside. The same worker said the loss cut deeper than damage to the building because many employees now faced lost work. Officials have not released a full damage estimate, and investigators have not publicly detailed exactly where inside the warehouse the fire first gained strength beyond saying it spread with unusual speed through combustible inventory.
The size of the building and what it held help explain why the fire drew so much attention. The Ontario facility covered about 1.2 million square feet, or roughly 11 city blocks by one local estimate, and served as a major distribution point for Kimberly-Clark goods such as toilet paper, diapers and tissues. Bloomberg reported the site served a market of about 50 million people, underlining why the destruction of a single warehouse quickly raised questions about supply. Kimberly-Clark said its manufacturing assets were not affected and said its supply chain was built to continue operating during disruptions. The company said it had already activated response plans, identified alternate locations for incoming shipments and begun securing added warehouse space through local partners. That statement was aimed at calming concern over shortages, especially because images from the fire showed wrapped cases of paper products feeding the flames. Even so, the warehouse itself and its contents were described by local reports as a total loss, and the cleanup and insurance process are likely to stretch well beyond the first burst of public attention.
The legal case is still in its early stage. Police said Abdulkarim was arrested on multiple felony arson related charges, but court filings and a full prosecutorial summary had not been publicly laid out in the same detail by late Wednesday. That leaves several key questions unresolved, including what exact counts prosecutors will pursue, whether any additional workplace or labor related evidence will be introduced, and how investigators will use the video if the case moves forward. Another open question is whether the remarks heard in the recording will be treated only as possible motive evidence or as part of a broader account of intent and planning. Fire investigators typically work alongside police and prosecutors in cases involving major commercial losses, and this one is likely to involve extensive review of surveillance video, employee records, phone data and the origin point inside the structure. Kimberly-Clark said it would provide further updates during its next quarterly business update scheduled for April 28. Public safety officials have not announced a separate briefing date, but the case is expected to move next through booking, charging decisions and court scheduling.
By Wednesday, the scene had become a mix of blackened steel, collapsed roofing and the remains of a warehouse that once moved truckloads of everyday products across Southern California. Helicopter video showed long stretches of the structure torn open, with firefighters still working hot spots from above and around the perimeter. For workers, the story was not just about the spectacle of a giant fire but the shock of how fast a routine overnight shift turned into an evacuation and criminal case. One employee told local television, “We lost our jobs,” capturing the fear and anger felt by people who escaped safely but returned to find their workplace gone. Kimberly-Clark thanked firefighters and said there were no company employees onsite at the time because the center was run by its logistics partner. Ontario police, meanwhile, have centered their investigation on whether the online video captures the act that started the fire. The answer to that question will shape both the criminal case and the larger effort to explain how one of the Inland Empire’s major warehouse properties was destroyed in a matter of hours.
The warehouse is gone, the suspect is in custody and investigators are now focused on evidence collection, charging decisions and the role of the video. The next public milestone is likely to come through court action or Kimberly-Clark’s April 28 business update as officials continue sorting out motive, losses and recovery.
Author note: Last updated April 9, 2026.