Overview
- An overnight six-alarm blaze at the 1.2 million-square-foot distribution center early Tuesday caused a roof collapse and drew about 175 firefighters.
- Roughly 20 workers inside evacuated safely as crews switched to a defensive attack when paper goods ignited so fast the sprinklers could not keep up.
- Police named 29-year-old Chamel Abdulkarim, an employee of third-party operator NFI Industries, as the suspect and are holding him without bail on multiple arson felonies at the West Valley Detention Center.
- Detectives are reviewing a social-media video that appears to show someone setting multiple fires while saying, “All you had to do was pay us enough to live,” and they have not established a legal motive.
- Kimberly-Clark says the third-party run hub is a total loss and has activated contingency plans, while analysts warn of possible West Coast supply disruptions and higher shipping costs.