Sichuan Yibin: Workers Set Factory Ablaze Over Wage Dispute, Netizens Overwhelmingly Support Worker (May 20-22, 2025)

A 22-year-old textile worker in Sichuan Yibin set fire to a factory after his wages were deducted and his attempts to recover the money failed, causing a fire that lasted three days. According to multiple netizen reports and eyewitness accounts, at 11 AM on May 20, a fire broke out at Jinyu Textile Factory in Pingshan County, Yibin City. A young male worker stabbed a financial staff member who was closely related to the factory owner, then set the factory on fire.

Informed netizens said that the worker had previously been denied permission to resign and had 800 yuan arbitrarily deducted from his wages. After multiple failed attempts to recover his wages, he lost emotional control and ultimately chose this extreme form of protest. Other netizens pointed out that the financial staff member was a relative of the factory owner, behaved arrogantly, and escalated the conflict.

"A worker wanted to quit, they deducted 800 from him, he asked for it several times but they didn't give it to him, so this person set the fire."

"They don't owe wages but they deduct money. Why deduct? Because the financial staff is a connected person in the factory."

"I heard they deducted 800 yuan and the employee burned down a factory."

"I heard it was deliberate, over 800 yuan in wages. The boss wouldn't give it and hit him, so in anger he set fire to the factory. Don't know if it's true or false."

"The second and third workshops were burned, only the first workshop wasn't burned."

"Yibin textile factory, a 22-year-old guy couldn't get his wages, so he set the factory on fire. I'm watching the news. Once a person has no weak spots, they won't fear anything 😭."

"It started burning yesterday at 11 AM, still burning now."

"The boss was stabbed."

"Wrong, it was the financial staff who was stabbed."

After the incident, the event spread widely on Chinese social platforms, with public opinion overwhelmingly supporting the worker involved, calling him a hero and viewing his actions as "the rage of working people."

"This is the people's fury." "Workers' rage." "People's hero." "The people's power is bright." "That brother realized the anger in many people's hearts, salute." "You can be weak, afraid, and retreat, but don't be afraid of being deceived and treated meanly. Because they won't remember your kindness and might disappoint you." "Workers' anger." "He is a symbol of the awakened fearless." "Burn himself to illuminate others." "The young man is truly brave, worth learning from." "Thumbs up for him!" "I only care about how the hero is doing."

Meanwhile, the Jinyu Textile Factory owner became the target of criticism. Netizens generally believed that while the incident had extreme elements, the root cause was the enterprise's exploitation of workers, wage deductions, and arrogant attitude. One comment read: "Gave all unscrupulous bosses a lesson." Others sarcastically noted: "This time the boss finally experienced what it feels like for a worker to lose 800 yuan." Some netizens pointed out that such labor disputes and difficulties in rights protection are not isolated cases, but common oppression that grassroots workers have long endured.

"800 yuan is nothing to a boss, but for a worker it might be their bottom line!" "800 yuan isn't much, but when you're penniless, it's life-saving money that can buy half a month's food." "Does anyone believe that 800 yuan is my monthly living expenses? Money is hard to earn now." "A few hundred yuan doesn't sound like much, but for ordinary families it can do many things." "To some people it's just a few hundred yuan, but to others it's already their stress tolerance limit. There are no winners here." "800 yuan might just be the cost of one bottle of wine for the boss, but for many grassroots people it's a month's living expenses. With that 800 they could survive." "800 yuan is also life-saving money."

Netizens also believed that grassroots people live too difficult lives - 800 yuan is just the cost of one bottle of wine for a boss, but for grassroots laborers it might be their bottom line.

Beyond expressions of support, many netizens also expressed willingness to donate money for the worker's family and fundraise for a lawyer.

"If the young hero makes his account public, no matter how poor I am, I'm willing to support him with 300-500." "Really worth crowdfunding, his light illuminated all working people." "If the young man's family needs help, count me in." "We poor people should form a points association. Anyone who fights gloriously for rights should receive salary support for their families according to the scale." "Donate money for him to hire a lawyer, I'll contribute 100." "Donate to this family, it's his actions that illuminated everyone." "Just saw this, many people in the comments saying to donate to the young man's parents, he held up a bright sky for us." "If the young hero makes his account public, no matter how poor I am, I'm willing to support him with 300-500." "If the big brother needs people to come forward, I'll also donate to him. Donations should be spent on places like this! Those who carry firewood for others shouldn't freeze to death in wind and snow!" "Still hope the guy's parents can come forward, everyone donate a little, let the elders have support for old age." "I'll donate 300 to the young man, because I've also been exploited, including now - 2 months' performance bonuses haven't been paid!" "I'll donate 1000 to the young man, he's a role model for working people." "I'll donate 100 for the brave young man!" "I'll donate 3000 to him." "Need to donate 3000." "When donations are needed, please @ me, however small the contribution." "Can I donate to the young man? I personally contribute 500." "My dream is to meet this brother who set the fire, want to transfer 500 yuan to him." "How do I donate to the young man?" "Those who carry firewood for others shouldn't freeze to death in wind and snow."

This incident was like a fuse, igniting countless people's resonance and anger. The suffering of grassroots laborers has long been ignored, living precariously step by step. People seem to all be waiting for that critical point that triggers change.