Massive six-alarm blaze engulfs California warehouse, employee detained
(This video has no audio.)
A massive six-alarm fire tore through a California warehouse early Tuesday, and an employee is in custody, FOX 11 reported. Video showed flames ripping through the roof of the Kimberly-Clark facility in Ontario as smoke filled the night sky.
Crews responded around 12:30 a.m. to the roughly 1.2 million-square-foot building, where flames were already breaking through the roof, according to KTLA. San Bernardino County Fire said the Ontario Fire Department battled the blaze, fueled by paper products, with help from neighboring agencies, while police used drones to assist.
By about 5 a.m., firefighters shifted to a defensive strategy, positioning ladder trucks around the structure and attacking the fire from above as it continued to burn, KTLA reported.
About 20 employees were inside when the fire broke out, but all escaped without injury, FOX 11 said. Deputy Chief Mike Wedell said the sprinkler system was working, but the fire grew extremely quickly, forcing crews to pull back and go defensive.
As of Tuesday morning, more than 140 firefighters had responded, and the fire was contained to the building as crews continued battling it defensively. Officials warned smoke and ash could impact air quality and urged residents, especially children and seniors, to stay indoors and avoid the area.
Authorities are investigating the fire as arson and said one suspect is in custody. “At this point, we do have a subject of interest,” Deputy Chief Mike Woodell told KTLA, adding the individual has been arrested and is awaiting questioning by Ontario police detectives.
