Through the Static

By Hannah Saunders

In the past nine days, the U.S. has seen a string of commercial and store fires after a toilet paper warehouse in Ontario, California was burned down by a frustrated employee who allegedly filmed himself with a marijuana cigarette and lighter in hand, saying “All you had to do was pay us enough to fucking live.” With 13 and counting, some have been linked to employee frustration just ahead of International Workers Day on May 1, known as May Day, as workers grapple with economic despair.

May Day honors and celebrates the labor and workers rights movement’s fight for the eight-hour workday, which in the United States, trickles back to the Haymarket Riot on May 4, 1886. In Chicago’s Haymarket Square, people protested the horrific and violent deaths of workers that took place the day before during a labor lockout.

“When approximately 175 policemen approached with an order to disperse the meeting, a dynamite bomb was thrown into their ranks. The identity and affiliation of the person who threw the bomb has never been determined; this anonymous act had many victims,” according to the City of Chicago, adding that protesters were arrested and forced into unfair trials, and faced death sentences without clear evidence. 

Warehouse and commercial store fires are not rare, but this surge in massive ones with several incidents linked to employee frustration has some social media users declaring that this is the start of the revolution between the working class and the uber-wealthy and exploitative in the fascist regime. TtS has developed a list of 13 fires, with many still under investigation. 

• April 8, West Jefferson, Ohio: At the Amazon facility, a fire involving about 75-100 solar panels broke out on its roof. There were no reported injuries but resulted in major water damage, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
• April 10, Queens, New York: A 64,000 square-foot warehouse that held kitchen cabinets and a lumber yard blazed for 12 hours, and ABC7NY reported there were no injuries. 
• April 10, Chicago, Illinois: Ingredion has a manufacturing plant in the Bedford Park area, and creates ingredients like starches, sweeteners, and other products. That morning, employees were inspecting a dust collector when equipment caught on fire. NBC Chicago reported two employees and a firefighter suffering burn injuries. 
• April 10, Ontario, California: The True Religion jean store at the Ontario Mills outlet mall was lit on fire. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene right before 11 a.m., and found several business burning upon arrival. 
• April 10, San Francisco, California: A Texas man went on a rampage that day, allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s San Francisco residence. He arrived at OpenAI’s headquarters about an hour later, and reportedly used a chair to destroy the glass doors. The suspect had a lighter, kerosene, incendiary devices, and a document titled, “Your Last Warning,” which included a list of names and addresses of AI investors and barons, according to SF Gate.
• April 11, Brockton, Massachusetts: Several tractor trailers drew the attention of Westgate Mall shoppers that afternoon, and the fire is still being investigated. 
• April 12, Visalia, California: In early morning hours, the fire department responded to vehicle fires at the Dodge dealership, with zero reported injuries.
• April 13, Cullman, Alabama: The historic, commercial Stiefelmeyer Building, which was originally destroyed in 1892 then rebuilt with wood during a time when other companies switched to businesses, again burned down and is not salvageable. The cause is under investigation and there were no reported injuries. 
• April 14, New Orelans, Louisiana: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) New Orleans branch posted that special agents, certified fire investigators, and local police officers responded to a Tesla sales office fire, “where a suspected Molotov cocktail incendiary device was used in the early morning hours to start a fire at the front door.” 

• April 14, Compton, California: A commercial building in the industrial area caught fire, and the cause is currently unknown. The fire was right next to a magnesium alloy company, which KTLA reported created concern among some firefighters. 
• April 14, Lexington, Tennessee: HLJ Foam Products, which includes furniture fabrics, bedding, and industrial packaging, also caught fire. The cause is unknown. 
• April 16, Martin County, Florida: The J. McLaughlin clothing boutique has over 170 retail stores, including inside a strip mall plaza. It caught on fire and there were no reported injuries.

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