A shocking video captures the moment a suspected arsonist ignited a fire at a True Religion jeans store in a shopping mall in Southern California. This event is part of a pattern of fires affecting popular retail areas.
Shocked shoppers could be seen outside the Ontario Mills Outlet Mall, located near a large Kimberly-Clark warehouse that had burnt earlier this week in an alleged arson case.
As flames engulfed the True Religion store, people were observed fleeing the scene into the mall’s common area.
Smoke poured from the store as police and firefighters responded to the emergency.
Onlookers watched as officers restrained a man in a mustache and dark hair, pinning him to the ground before handcuffing him.
Firefighters were summoned just before 11 a.m., arriving to find multiple storefronts ablaze, according to Ontario Fire Brigade Chief Scott Lorber.
He explained that the initial responders discovered a series of fires in close proximity to each other within the mall.
“All of those fires are suspicious and have been put out,” he noted.
The Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office hasn’t specified how many stores were involved in the incident.
A man believed to be responsible for at least one of the blazes was taken into custody, although officials have not disclosed his identity or motives.
Fortunately, there were no reported injuries, and all fires were extinguished. Police announced that the mall would remain closed as the investigation unfolds.
Ontario Mills attracts 28 million visitors annually, being recognized as one of California’s top shopping and tourist spots.
This alarming act of arson adds to the distress of a community still processing a major fire at the Kimberly-Clark warehouse a mere 10 miles away.
While Chief Lorber stated there’s no indication that the two events are interconnected, the inquiry is still in progress.
Federal prosecutors recently disclosed that Chamel Abdulkarim, an angry former employee of the warehouse, compared himself to a notorious figure involved in corporate crimes. They revealed he had made various angry social media posts about his employer and expressed frustration over low wages in a video where he allegedly ignited a fire.
In the footage, believed to feature him, he is heard saying, “All you had to do was pay us enough money to live,” while igniting a pallet of paper products.
Abdulkarim, 29, is currently in police custody and is set to face arraignment next week on several felony arson charges. If convicted, he could face life in prison.
Notably, the blaze at the warehouse led to an estimated $500 million in damages, though thankfully, no injuries were reported.
