Employee Arrested in Suspected Arson at Kimberly-Clark Warehouse

A massive fire suspected to be arson tore through a Kimberly-Clark warehouse in Ontario, California, early Tuesday morning, leading to the arrest of an employee and drawing a large-scale response from multiple fire agencies.

The blaze was reported around 12:30 a.m. in the 9500 block of Merrill Avenue, near Hellman Avenue, according to the Ontario Fire Department. First responders arrived to find heavy flames and smoke venting through the roof of the approximately 1.2 million-square-foot facility, which serves as a distribution center for the company's paper-based personal care products, including tissues, diapers and sanitary items. The fire escalated quickly to a six-alarm incident, fueled by the combustible materials inside, prompting crews to adopt a defensive strategy and battle the flames from outside the structure.

More than 140 firefighters from the Ontario Fire Department, along with assistance from San Bernardino County Fire, Riverside County Fire, Cal Fire, Chino Fire and Riverside Fire departments, worked to contain the inferno. Aerial operations, including ladder trucks and drone footage from police, helped direct efforts as the fire produced thick black smoke and...