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“All You Had to Do Was Pay Us Enough to Live”: Worker Sets Fire to California Paper Warehouse

HeadlineApr 13, 2026

In Southern California, a 29-year-old warehouse worker is being held without bail after his arrest in connection with a massive six-alarm fire at a paper products warehouse east of Los Angeles. Tuesday’s fire at a Kimberly-Clark warehouse completely destroyed the 1.2-million-square-foot facility, causing an estimated $600 million in damages. Prosecutors say it was started by Chamel Abdulkarim, who allegedly texted a co-worker afterward comparing himself to Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. A social media video appears to show Abdulkarim using a lighter to set fire to paper products while criticizing corporate greed and inadequate pay.

Chamel Abdulkarim: “All you had to do was pay us enough to live. All you had to do was pay us enough to [bleep] live.”

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