Disgruntled Over Low Pay, Employee Sets $156M Warehouse On Fire, Frightening Video Emerges | Watch

Last Updated:April 09, 2026, 11:11 IST

Chamel Abdulkarim, 29, allegedly filmed his own arson spree, shouting about low wages as he set fire to the massive 1.2 million-square-foot facility in Ontario

A Kimberly-Clark warehouse employee was arrested for arson after he allegedly set fire to the company’s huge distribution center in Ontario early Tuesday. A video believed to show him starting the fire has also surfaced online.

Chamel Abdulkarim, 29, from Highland, faces two felony arson charges. The fire broke out around 12:30 am at the 1.2 million-square-foot warehouse near South Hellman Avenue and Merrill Avenue. The facility stores products like facial tissue and toilet paper and serves roughly 50 million people. It is valued at about $156 million, according to Zillow. The warehouse is part of Kimberly-Clark, the company behind brands like Huggies and Kleenex.

About 20 employees were inside when the fire started, but Kimberly-Clark said no one was hurt. Abdulkarim was first reported missing but was found nearby while the fire was still burning. He is now in custody without bail at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

Why He Did It And What The Video Shows

Abdulkarim appeared angry over his pay and working conditions at the warehouse, according to New York Post.

A video shared on Instagram with his name shows him walking through the building, setting items on fire, and making angry comments about the company. Packs of toilet paper catch fire quickly, and the stacks of products in the warehouse are visible in the background.

In the video, a voice says repeatedly, “All you had to do was pay us enough to live." The person then adds, “You may not pay us enough to f***ing live, but these b***es dirt cheap," while lighting items on fire.

At one point, someone on a walkie-talkie can be heard saying, “We’ve got a fire in the warehouse," as more products are set ablaze. Police say they are looking into the video, which investigators believe is real.

The Fire And Its Impact

The fire was massive and reached six alarms, drawing help from nearby departments, including San Bernardino County, as per New York Post. More than 140 firefighters worked to contain it.

Ontario Fire Department Deputy Chief Mike Wedell told Bloomberg News, “This fire was very quickly identified as suspicious in nature. There was a subject of interest identified very early on in the incident. That subject has been arrested."

As per a note from Diana Gomes, a Bloomberg Intelligence senior industry analyst warn the fire could cause supply shortages on the West Coast, affecting more than 3 per cent of Kimberly-Clark’s U.S. sales and possibly raising transportation costs. Kimberly-Clark’s shares fell 4.1 per cent on Tuesday, according to Bloomberg.

News viral Disgruntled Over Low Pay, Employee Sets $156M Warehouse On Fire, Frightening Video Emerges | Watch

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