Last Tuesday, April 7, 2026, a few miles away in Ontario, California, a large fire was caused by an employee who was unhappy with his paycheck. Many questions arise out of this. What was the motive? Will this be a rerun of the pandemic’s toilet paper shortage?
Location:
Outside of a middle sized town in rural California, this 1.2 million square-foot facility can supply local grocery stores with toilet paper for years on end. The warehouse, located near Eucalyptus and S. Hellman Avenue, served as a major toilet paper storage warehouse.
Events Leading Up:
Around 12:20-12:25 AM
29-year-old Chamel Abdulkarim is inside the Kimberly-Clark distribution center. He decided to go live on Instagram, quickly explaining that he is disgruntled and his distaste for the pay he receives working there. “All you had to do was pay us enough to live.” He then went on to light a nearby toilet paper bag on fire.
12:30 AM
911 was called by nearby bystanders and employees. Employees working in the warehouse quickly evacuated, with most notably Chamel Abdulkarim missing. Smoke poured out of the warehouse. An orange hue could be seen inside the warehouse. The highly flammable toilet paper quickly spread fire throughout the building.
12:34-12:36 AM
First Response Units were dispatched to the location. The heat inside the building intensified as more of the warehouse ignited.
12:36 AM
First Responders arrived on the scene. Immediate suspicions arise as to how the fire was burning so strong despite the sprinkler system and alarm being set off. Nearby residents had to be evacuate due to the fire. Police noted that an employee was missing, now making him their lead suspect.
Aftermath:
The fire continued to rage for 12 hours, taking much of the 1.2 million square-foot warehouse with it. While Firefighters fought the fire, Abdulkarim was reportedly found soon after. He was later arrested on April 8th, with tips from social media leading to his identification.
