Lead photo: Aerial footage of the April 7 fire at a Kimberly-Clark warehouse in Ontario, CA. (courtesy of KTLA News via YouTube).

A massive fire early April 7 destroyed a Kimberly-Clark toilet paper distribution center in Ontario, CA, with authorities alleging the blaze was intentionally set by an employee of a third-party logistics provider operating the facility.

The six-alarm fire broke out around 12:30 a.m. at the 1.2 million-square-foot facility, which is leased by Kimberly-Clark and operated by NFI Industries. Firefighters from multiple agencies responded as the warehouse — stocked with large volumes of paper-based products — was quickly engulfed.

Approximately 20 employees were inside at the time and were safely evacuated, with no injuries reported. The building, its inventory and several trucks at loading docks are considered a total loss.

Our 2026 SHIFT Conference is coming May 12-14. Join us in Denver! 

Authorities initially identified one worker as missing during the evacuation. That individual was later detained and subsequently arrested on suspicion of arson. Officials later identified the suspect as a 29-year-old employee of NFI Industries, not Kimberly-Clark directly.

In a statement, Kimberly-Clark confirmed there were no reported injuries, noted it has business interruption and property damage insurance policies in place and that no company manufacturing assets were impacted. The company said it is working closely with NSI and local authorities and will provide additional updates as more information becomes available.

“Kimberly-Clark’s supply chain network is designed for continuity during disruptions and mitigating actions are already in motion,” K-C said. “The company has activated its coordinated response plans and is working closely with local logistics providers to maintain continuity for customers. Teams have identified alternative locations for inbound shipments and are securing additional warehousing capacity through local partners. The company is working through mitigating any short-term disruptions as these plans are executed.”

The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities reviewing surveillance footage and witness accounts.

Camden, NJ-based NFI is privately-held and generates more than $3.7 billion in annual revenue with over 17,000 employees. The company operates over 70 million square feet of warehouse space alongside a fleet of 5,100 tractors and 13,000 trailers.

Kimberly-Clark’s website lists approximately 3,500 distributor locations serving the company, with nearly all of them in the United States. The company’s Kimberly-Clark Professional business unit is a key supplier of commercial facility JanSan and PPE products through its Kimtech, WypALL, Scott and Kleenex brands.