A worker charged with arson after a massive fire at a California warehouse compared himself to Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing a healthcare CEO, authorities have said. Chamel Abdulkarim, 29, faces felony and state arson charges over a blaze that destroyed a Kimberly-Clark paper products warehouse in Ontario, California, causing nearly $600 million in damage.
The fire broke out at about 12:30 am on Tuesday and escalated to a six-alarm blaze, requiring around 175 firefighters. Abdulkarim was arrested shortly after. Investigators said he sent a text message to a co-worker comparing himself to Mangione, who is charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024.
Police also released video footage showing Abdulkarim setting fire to toilet paper and other combustibles, with small fires visible in the background. In the video, he is heard complaining he did not earn enough to live on. Bill Essayli, first assistant US attorney for central California, said the attack targeted the nation's economic system, vowing aggressive prosecution.
A co-worker, Alex Montero, told local media that Abdulkarim was not initially a suspect, as he was missing. 'Everyone was blaming the robots at first,' Montero said. If convicted, Abdulkarim faces up to 10 years in prison, with state charges to be dealt with first.
