A worker in Quanzhou has been accused of setting fire to his employer’s warehouse after reportedly not being paid.
A migrant worker in Hui’an County, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, China, has been accused of deliberately setting fire to his employer’s massive 40,000-square-meter warehouse.
According to reports, he decided to burn down the warehouse after being denied payment for five days of labor.
The incident reportedly occurred around February 12–15, 2026, just before the Lunar New Year holiday.
The worker allegedly agreed to a daily wage of 400 yuan (approximately $55–56 USD), totaling about 2,000 yuan ($275–280 USD) for the period.
After the employer refused to pay, the man—said to be a migrant laborer—claimed he had no money for food, shelter, or a train ticket home.
Reports describe him sleeping under a bridge for three days in desperation before allegedly using a lighter to ignite multiple fires inside or near the warehouse.
Authorities and online posts estimate direct economic losses at around 4 billion yuan (approximately $550–579 million USD).
The fire allegedly destroyed a significant portion of the 40,000 sq m facility; equivalent to about 10 acres of storage space filled with goods or materials.
The worker has reportedly been detained and faces charges related to arson and causing major property damage.