ONTARIO, Calif. — Authorities have arrested a 29-year-old warehouse employee in connection with a massive six-alarm fire that destroyed a large distribution facility in San Bernardino County early Tuesday morning.

According to officials and sources familiar with the investigation, Chamel Abdulkarim, of Highland, has been charged with two felony counts of arson in relation to the blaze at a warehouse operated by consumer goods company Kimberly-Clark.

He is currently being held without bail at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

Investigators allege that Abdulkarim intentionally set the fire at approximately 12:30 a.m. at the nearly 1.2 million-square-foot facility located near South Hellman Avenue and Merrill Avenue.

The fire rapidly spread throughout the structure, fueled in part by large quantities of paper-based products stored inside.

Authorities reported that approximately 20 employees were inside the warehouse at the time the fire broke out, including Abdulkarim.

He was initially unaccounted for during the early stages of the incident but was later located.

Court records indicate he was ultimately taken into custody near the intersection of Harrison Avenue and Limonite Avenue in Eastvale, not far from the fire scene.

Ontario Fire Department Deputy Chief Mike Wedell stated that the fire was quickly deemed suspicious, and investigators identified a person of interest early in the response.

“This fire was very quickly identified as suspicious in nature,” Wedell said. “There was a subject of interest identified very early on in the incident. That subject has been arrested.”

Sources indicate Abdulkarim may have been a disgruntled employee and had posted complaints about his job on social media prior to the incident.

However, investigators are continuing to examine the full motive and circumstances surrounding the case.

The fire prompted a large-scale emergency response, with approximately 140 firefighters working to contain the blaze throughout the day.

Due to the size and intensity of the fire, multiple agencies—including the San Bernardino County Fire Department, Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department, Chino Fire Department, and Riverside Fire Department—assisted in suppression efforts.

Officials estimate the destroyed facility to be valued at approximately $156 million. Despite the scale of the fire, no injuries have been reported.

Kimberly-Clark, a global hygiene products manufacturer known for brands such as Huggies and Kleenex, confirmed that the facility was operated by a third-party partner.

In a statement, a company spokesperson emphasized that safety remains a top priority and said the company is cooperating fully with local authorities as the investigation continues.

The Ontario Police Department and Ontario Fire Department are jointly leading the investigation.

Additional details are expected to be released following an official press briefing.