Jayce Brown
Special to The Leader
If you watch the news, or are active on social media, you’ve probably heard about the Kimberly-Clark toilet paper warehouse fire in Ontario, Calif.
The fire started early in the morning of April 7 and caused around $500 million in damages to the 1.2 million-square-foot warehouse, destroying products.
No individuals were harmed. 29-year-old Chamel Abdulkarim, has been charged and accused with multiple counts of arson and has pleaded not guilty.
The defendant was working at the Kimberly-Clark Distribution Center at the time.
A witness said that Abdulkarim had compared himself to Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing former CEO of United Healthcare Brian Thompson in 2024.
A video was posted on social media of a man lighting pallets of toilet paper on fire with a lighter and will possibly be used as evidence of a motive of the crimes Abdulkarim is charged with, if the video is proven to be linked back to him.
Ever since the event, social media has exploded with a new slogan, “livable wage prevents warehouse fires.”
Videos have been spreading rapidly with talk of revolution against capitalism and the federal minimum wage.
In the last week, there has been talk of between five and nine warehouse fires on social media, with many videos implying or stating that these fires are results of motivation from the first Ontario fire as part of a working-class revolution.
But how much of this is true? Is there really a large working-class revolution?
One fire that has been used as an example was one that occurred at an Amazon warehouse in West Jefferson, Ohio, on April 8.
Although this event happened just one day after the Ontario fire, investigators suspect that the cause of the fire was solar panels on the roof. No credible evidence of arson has been presented.
On Saturday, April 11, a large fire broke out at a warehouse in College Point, Queens, N.Y.
A lumberyard inside the building made the fire long-lasting and hard to control.
As of April 12, the fire was under control, no injuries were reported, and no cause has been found for the start of the fire.
Another Californian warehouse in Bakersfield was destroyed in a large fire on Saturday, April 11, with no injuries, no found cause and no evidence of connection to the Ontario fire.
Although these are just three examples, upon reading articles and doing research, there have been no suspects of arson in any other warehouse fires that have gained mass social media attraction following the Ontario fire.
Since these fires were very recent, happening in the last week, many investigations are still active, and it is still in the realm of possibility that some of the fires could have been intentional.
So why is social media exploding with videos and comments about a worker revolution?
That would be the media in its historical nature, amplifying and increasing coverage on events that are within current conversation.
This can lead to fear-mongering that creates panic among the public.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), between 2020 and 2024, there were an estimated 1,544 warehouse fires annually.
That’s an average of more than four a day. What was the cause of these fires?
The NFPA says 19% were caused by tools and equipment, 16% by electrical or lighting equipment and 43% were caused by operating equipment.
The amount of warehouse fires has significantly dropped in the last 30 years.
It’s important to be cautious when receiving news stories from social media.
It can be like playing a game of telephone in elementary school; the truth can quickly get twisted and lies can be spread, even without ill intent.
Whether you’re for or against a revolution in bursting flames, make sure to check trustworthy sources before spreading information.