The Bad Placeyahoo news | Worker who said he wasn’t paid enough to live accused of torching Kimberly-Clark...
A massive fire ripped through a 1.2‑million‑square‑foot Kimberly‑Clark distribution center in Ontario, California, on April 11, 2026. The warehouse, operated by third‑party logistics firm National Freight Inc. (NFI) Industries, supplies paper goods, diapers and personal‑care products for brands such as Huggies, Kleenex, Scott, Kotex and Cottonelle and serves roughly 50 million people. Fire officials said the six‑alarm blaze required 175 firefighters and quickly engulfed the building despite active sprinklers, suggesting the fire was not accidental.
Police identified a suspect early in the investigation. Chamel Abdulkarim, a 29‑year‑old NFI employee, was arrested and charged with multiple arson‑related felonies and is being held without bail. A video circulating on social media shows pallets of paper goods igniting while a voice in the recording declares, “All you had to do was pay us enough to live.” Ontario Fire and Police departments, along with statements from ABC 7 and CBS, confirmed that Abdulkarim was either present or near the site when the fire started and that the incident was treated as a deliberate act.
The destruction of the warehouse raises concerns about short‑term supply disruptions for Kimberly‑Clark’s U.S. operations, potentially affecting more than 3 % of its sales and increasing transportation costs. Kimberly‑Clark issued a statement confirming that none of its manufacturing assets were damaged, that a response team has been activated, and that alternative shipping locations are being used to maintain product availability. NFI Industries said it is reassigning affected employees to other regional sites, while the company acknowledges the broader impact on workers and consumers.
#kimberly-clark #Huggies #ontariofire
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