An employee at a warehouse in Ontario has been arrested and charged with arson after the facility erupted in flames early Tuesday morning, sending towering plumes of smoke into the sky and forcing fire crews to temporarily retreat from the inferno.
Crews responded to the 1.2-million-square-foot Kimberly-Clark paper products facility at 12:36 a.m., according to the Ontario Fire Department.
Firefighters were quickly forced out of the building due to “extremely rapid fire growth” and assumed a defensive position, battling the blaze with high-volume hoses, according to the Fire Department. The conflagration caused the building’s roof to collapse and escalated to a six-alarm fire, requiring the response of around 175 firefighters.
About 20 employees were evacuated from the building when the blaze ignited, and one employee was initially reported missing.
He was later identified as Chamel Abdulkarim, 29, of Highland, and determined to be the suspect behind the blaze, fire officials said. Abdulkarim is employed by NFI Industries, a third-party distribution company for Kimberly-Clark products.
He was found by Ontario Police Department personnel, questioned by officers and taken into custody. He was charged with multiple arson-related felonies Tuesday, and is currently being held without bail at the West Valley Detention Center, fire officials said.
Firefighters battle a massive six-alarm blaze at a warehouse in Ontario on Tuesday.
(OnScene.TV)
At 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, the glow of the fire and pillars of smoke could be seen for miles. Fire trucks surrounded the building, pumping 1,000 gallons of water a minute.
Crews managed to contain the flames to the building at 7:46 a.m. Children and seniors were warned to stay indoors due to potential air-quality effects and to check the South Coast Air Quality Management District for updates on air quality in the area.
Shortly after 1 p.m. the Fire Department announced that the blaze had been knocked down and the threat of spread eliminated.
More than a dozen fire agencies worked together to battle the inferno using 20 engine companies, 15 truck companies, 17 chief officers and three arson investigators. Firefighters are expected to remain on scene throughout the evening as they work to completely extinguish the blaze.
A spokesperson for Kimberly-Clark said the company was aware of the fire at their Ontario distribution center and confirmed that no injuries had been reported.
“The facility is operated by a third-party partner,” the spokesperson said, “and we are working closely with them and local authorities.”