A delivery worker passed away while taking a nap on his electric bike following an intense 18-hour shift in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province in China. The death of the 55-year old man named Yuan ignited a heated debate about the work pressures faced by delivery agents on a daily basis.

The news of Yuan’s passing became viral after a video started circulating on social media on September 6, 2024. Yuan had a reputation for being an extremely hard worker and was often called as the ‘Order King’, reported Moneycontrol.

He was found dead on September 6 by another delivery agent. Witnesses claimed that Yuan was working from nearly 9 PM on September 5 and was discovered at 1 AM the next morning. 

One of his colleagues, Yang Yang, spoke to the local news agency, Zonglan News, and said, “He worked long hours, sometimes until 3 am, and would resume work at 6 am after a short nap on his bike. On rainy days, his earnings could go above 700 yuan (Rs 8,300).”

Notably, a month before Yuan’s passing, he suffered a leg fracture due to an accident during working hours. However, he only took a short break of 10 days despite the injury and resumed work afterwards, the report stated citing another colleague, Zhao Hua.

The Xianlin Sub-district Office in Yuhang district issued a statement confirming Yuan’s death and said, “The food delivery platform, the insurance company, and the family have reached an agreement. Follow-up arrangements are being handled in an orderly manner.”

Meanwhile, the incident has resulted in Netizens talking about the difficult working environment faced by the delivery workers in the industry. The delivery industry in China is full of multiple stories such as Yuan’s as working hours and schedules wreak havoc on the life and health of delivery agents.