ONTARIO, Calif. — A dramatic warehouse blaze in Ontario, California, led to the arrest of an employee suspected of arson. The fire broke out in the early hours, mobilizing a significant response from emergency crews.
The incident was initially reported around 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, drawing over 100 firefighters to the scene. Their efforts were illuminated by the intense orange glow of the flames, which cast a stark light over the area.
The battle against the fire extended for hours, as the inferno raged through the Kimberly-Clark warehouse, a massive structure spanning 1.2 million square feet. Plumes of smoke and flames could be seen from miles away.
Even after nearly half a day, firefighting teams remained on-site, deploying water from ladder trucks to douse the persistent flames. Their efforts successfully contained the fire to the warehouse, sparing neighboring businesses from damage.
The warehouse contained a large stock of paper products, which acted as fuel, intensifying the blaze. Kimberly-Clark is known for its range of personal care and hygiene products made from paper.
Authorities noted that the building was equipped with a fire suppression system, which was operational until part of the roof gave way. In addition to the warehouse, several large trucks stationed at the facility were also destroyed in the fire.
About 20 employees were inside the warehouse when the fire broke out. One person was initially missing and was later accounted for. That missing person was the suspect, police said.
“This fire was very quickly identified as suspicious in nature,” said Deputy Chief Mike Wedell. “There was a subject of interest identified very early on in the incident. That subject has been arrested.”
The suspect has been identified as a current employee of the warehouse. A motive for the alleged arson has not been determined.
No injuries were reported from the fire.
A thick plume of smoke continued to billow over the area several hours later, prompting a warning for children, seniors and other groups sensitive to poor air quality to stay inside if possible.
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