A pre-dawn inferno tore through a massive Ontario warehouse packed with paper products early Tuesday, ripping open the roof of the roughly one‑million‑square‑foot distribution center and sending a towering column of smoke across the Inland Empire. Crews stayed on scene into the morning, stamping out stubborn hot spots while investigators moved in to sort out what sparked the blaze. Early reports did not list any injuries.
Fire crews were called to the Kimberly‑Clark warehouse in the 9500 block of Merrill Avenue at around 1:45 a.m., where they found heavy fire punching through the roof of the facility, according to NBC Los Angeles. One person was arrested in connection with the suspected arson, the outlet reported, though officials were not yet saying much about who that person is or what led to the arrest.
Massive Blaze Challenged Crews
"Firefighters reported heavy fire through the roof of the sprawling complex," NBC Los Angeles noted, a description that gives a sense of how intense conditions were when crews rolled up. The sheer size of the warehouse, initially reported at about one million square feet, complicated the attack and mop‑up work as firefighters chased lingering hot spots and made sure the scene was secure for investigators.
Investigation and Legal Implications
Ontario police and fire investigators said they were handling the scene, while prosecutors will decide whether to file arson charges. It was not immediately clear whether any charges had been filed as of the initial reports. Under California law, willfully and maliciously setting fire to a structure falls under Penal Code 451 and is typically prosecuted as a felony, with penalties that vary based on the level of damage and harm involved, according to California Legislative Information. City officials had not released further details about the arrested individual at the time of those early updates.
