Demolition Begins on Ontario Kimberly-Clark Paper Warehouse after Destructive Fire in April

Demolition work has begun at the Kimberly-Clark paper goods warehouse in Ontario, California, nearly two months after a massive fire destroyed the facility in a blaze that authorities allege was intentionally set.

City officials said demolition crews are expected to work up to 12 hours per day over the next two weeks as they remove the building’s exterior concrete walls. Once that phase is completed, crews will begin clearing debris left behind by the April 7 fire.

The demolition process had previously been scheduled to start in May but was delayed until this week. In a statement, city officials said they were working with the property owner to address site conditions “as safely and efficiently as possible.”

The start of demolition marks a significant step in the site’s recovery. In the weeks following the fire, some nearby residents reported ongoing air quality concerns as portions of the property continued to smolder.

The fire broke out shortly after 12:30 a.m. on April 7 at the 1.2-million-square-foot warehouse located in the 9500 block of Merrill Avenue. According to the Ontario Fire Department, firefighters responded to reports of smoke and flames coming from the facility, which stored large quantities of paper products.

Authorities said the presence of products including Kleenex, Cottonelle, Scott, Huggies and Kotex contributed to the rapid spread of the fire and prolonged firefighting efforts.

Hours after the blaze began, investigators announced the arrest of 29-year-old Highland resident Chamel Abdulrakim, who worked for third-party distributor NFI Industries. Prosecutors allege he ignited several pallets inside the warehouse. Federal and state charges were later filed.

According to prosecutors, Abdulrakim allegedly made statements claiming responsibility for the fire and discussed the incident in phone calls and text messages after it occurred.

The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office estimated losses from the fire at more than $600 million, with paper products accounting for more than 80% of the damage.