A warehouse employee has been arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire destroyed the building in Ontario, California. The incident prompted a large response from first responders shortly after midnight on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. A total of 175 firefighters and 20 fire engines were on scene.
The fire started around 12:30am on Tuesday near Hellman Avenue and Merrill Avenue, according to the Ontario Fire Department.
The fight against the fire lasted several hours and the flames continued to burn through the warehouse, a Kimberly-Clark Distribution Center, which is estimated to be 1.2 million square feet. Twelve hours after the start of the fire, crews remained on scene shooting water at the building from their ladder trucks. The fire was contained to the warehouse, protecting nearby homes and businesses.
The warehouse was filed with different paper products from different brands, like Huggies diapers and Kleenex, which continued to fuel the fire.
According to officials, the building has a fire suppression system that was operating, although it was compromised when a portion of the warehouse roof collapsed. A number of trucks docked at the facility at the time of the fire were also destroyed by the fire.
Reportedly, about 20 employees were inside the warehouse when the fire started. One of these employees was initially missing but was later located. According to police, the missing employee was the suspect.
Deputy Chief Mike Wedell made the following statement: “This fire was quickly identified as suspicious in nature. There was a subject of interest identified very early on in the incident. That subject has been arrested.”
The suspect was identified as 29-year-old Chamel Abdulkarim from Highland, California. Although authorities initially believed that he was a Kimberly-Clark employee, they later clarified that the suspect is an employee of NFI Industries, a third-party distributor for Kimberly-Clark. The authorities said they did not know whether the suspect was working when the fire started, but he was present at the warehouse.
The motive for the alleged arson has not been determined. Investigators stated that community tips, possibly related to social media posts, helped lead them to Abdulkarim. The suspect was arrested on multiple felony arson-related charges and is being held without bail. The police department noted that they have not had any contact with the suspect in the past, although it is unknown if he may have a criminal record outside of Ontario.
Fire officials stated that the blaze appeared suspicious almost immediately due to the fire’s quick spread and the possibility of multiple origin points.
No injuries were reported. All employees who worked in the warehouse are now out of a job.
Without a doubt, this incident has come as a shock to the entire community. The incident has also brought up a number of questions about liability for the incident and the responsibility that the company has to prevent incidents on their premises (even when the incident occurs due to the intentional actions of an employee).
Below, we will review the situation and discuss the failure of the company to ensure that disgruntled employees do not act in a way that result in incidents as well as the responsibility to have the appropriate fire suppression system in place to prevent fires from spreading.
Company Duty to Prevent Employee Incidents
Companies have a number of responsibilities. For example, they must ensure that their employees are subjected to background checks, are properly trained, etc. It is also important for companies to have surveillance cameras, on-site security, and other safety measures in place. Without a doubt, employees can become disgruntled for a number of reasons, which may include being disciplined, demoted, or fired, for example. When an employee shows any signs of being disgruntled, the employer should act appropriately. They could increase security, escort them off the property, take measures to prevent them from getting back on the property, etc. Depending on the severity of the situation, they may need to contact the authorities to make reports.
Can the company be at fault for damages? Yes, in the case of injuries or damages to personal property, the company can potentially be liable given that they knew or should have known of the risk that the employee represented.
Companies must have Appropriate Fire Safety Measures
It is important for warehouses, especially those that store large quantities of flammable materials/products (like paper), to have sufficient fire suppressant equipment to ensure that fires do not spread throughout their facility.
Examples of fire suppression systems include the following:
- Wet pipe sprinkler systems
- Dry pipe sprinkler systems
- Early Suppression Fast Response Systems
- In-Rack Sprinklers
- Pre-Action Systems
- Foam-Water systems
In addition, other important fire safety systems may include functional fire alarms, smoke detectors, etc.
In the incident discussed above, fire officials stated that the facility did have an operational fire suppression system, although it failed after a portion of the roof collapsed. However, some may argue that facilities that store highly flammable materials should have multiple fire suppression systems in place in case one method fails.
What if the company did not have enough fire suppression measures in place? When companies do not have functional fire suppression systems in place, they can be at fault for any incidents that occur. That is, they can face liability for any harm/damages that occur.
Can this Incident Result in Lawsuits?
Yes, considering the size of the fire and the amount of smoke/ash that was released to surrounding businesses and homes, the company can potentially face a number of lawsuits. Property owners affected by the smoke and ash from the fire could have the right to pursue claims. Similarly, employees that were inside the premises when the fire broke out that suffered any burn injuries or smoke inhalation injuries, for example, may also have the right to file claims.
Do You Need Legal Help?
Depending on your specific situation and whether you were harmed, you could have grounds to file a claim. Without a doubt, it could be difficult to determine whether you have the right to sue or not. To ensure that you have a thorough understanding of your rights and the options available to you, you should reach out to a lawyer as soon as possible. Discussing the situation with a lawyer will clarify any doubts you may have and to ensure that you know what to do to fight for your rights.
Contact the Normandie Law Firm Today
Incidents like the one described above certainly bring forth a number of issues, including employer responsibility to prevent incidents and have the necessary safety measures in place to prevent fires from spreading, for example. Here at our firm, our team has decades of experience and can help claimants get justice after any incident. Whether you have questions or are interested in pursuing a claim, our team can help you.
Our firm is proud to be able to offer free case evaluations, which include free consultations and free second opinions. During these legal services, our team will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns. Our lawyers will provide you with all the information that you need to begin or continue your claim. To schedule a free case review, contact us today.
Zero-Fee Guarantee: you will never be required to pay any upfront legal costs for any of our legal services. In addition, our firm works on a contingency basis, meaning that you will not be responsible for paying anything at all if your lawsuit is not successful.
Contact us today to learn more about the legal options available to you.
