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55-year-old Chinese delivery driver working 18 hours daily dies while napping on bike
Reportedly, the delivery driver often used to work till 3 am and wake up at 6 am to continue his delivery job. He died when he was resting on his vehicle.
A tragic incident unfolded in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province in eastern China, where a delivery driver was found dead while napping on his bike. Reportedly, the man, the sole breadwinner of his family, worked 18 hours daily to earn a living. As per his fellow riders, there were times when he used to sleep just for three hours before starting work.
How did the incident come to light?
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), a video of the incident surfaced on the country’s social media platforms, sparking outrage and conversations on the delivery agents' “welfare and legal rights.”
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“18 hour workdays”
The delivery worker, surnamed Yuan, was found dead on his electric bike - where he was resting after a gruelling workday. Reportedly, he was supporting the studies of his 16-year-old son. His other son is married and stays in another part of the country with his family.
Co-workers’ reactions:
“He would sometimes work until 3am, then rise at 6am to start again. When he felt fatigued, he would take a brief nap on his bike, ready to return to work as soon as an order came in,” Yuan’s co-worker Yang told the outlet.
Another of the victim’s co-workers shared that he suffered a leg fracture from an accident while he was out to deliver an order. However, he just rested for ten days before returning to work. Reportedly, this incident took place just two weeks before his death.
Social media outrage:
The incident sparked anger among people, who raised questions about the hardship faced by delivery agents.
Just like this individual who posted, “Another ‘Order King’ has fallen. Is there really no way to avoid these tragedies?”
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Another person commented, “He was in his 50s, the sole breadwinner of his family, working day and night. May he rest in peace. I hope in his next life, he will not have to race against time like this.”
Statement from Xianlin Sub-district Office in Yuhang district:
The organisation confirmed that the delivery driver “collapsed and died despite emergency treatment”. They also issued a statement regarding the incident.
“The food delivery platform, the insurance company, and the family have reached an agreement. Follow-up arrangements are being carried out in an orderly manner,” according to the announcement.
