ONTARIO, Calif. — A warehouse employee was arrested on suspicion of arson after a massive fire erupted at the building in Ontario, California, prompting a large response from first responders overnight.
The fire was reported around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday and more than 100 firefighters were on scene battling the flames that cast an orange glow in the area.
The firefight continued for several hours as the blaze continued to burn through the Kimberly-Clark warehouse, which is estimated to be 1.2 million square feet. The flames and smoke were visible for miles.
Nearly twelve hours later, crews were still on scene shooting water at the building from ladder trucks. They were able to contain the flames to the warehouse, protecting nearby businesses.
The warehouse was filled with paper products, which further fueled the fire. Kimberly-Clark is a company that specializes in paper-based personal care and hygiene products.
Officials said the building has a fire suppression system, which was operating but was compromised when a portion of the roof collapsed. Several big rigs docked the facility were also destroyed.
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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