In May 12, 2025, on the China Internet O2O life service platform “E-le-me”, two riders at the Taierzhuang Station, Chang’an Road store in Zaozhuang City, Shandong Province, passed away suddenly within 11 days, both due to “respiratory and sudden cardiac arrest”. The two were brothers-in-law.
Reported by The Paper, on May 12, Ms. Zhou from Taierzhuang District, Zaozhuang City, Shandong Province, mentioned that her husband Yuan and brother-in-law Liang were riders at the Chang’an Road store of “E-le-me”, both of whom recently passed away suddenly.
Ms. Zhou explained that in 2020, her husband Yuan and brother-in-law Liang had been working as delivery riders for a food delivery service for 3 and 5 years respectively. On the morning of April 23 this year, after Liang finished his night shift and rested for a few hours, planning to check the progress of his fish pond before going to work, he suddenly passed away at the construction site of the fish pond. 11 days later, on the morning of May 4, her husband Yuan, as usual, had breakfast and rode to work but had an accident before leaving the residential area.
Ms. Zhou recalled that when she received the phone call, she rushed to the hospital immediately. After more than an hour of rescue, the hospital pronounced Yuan’s death. At the time of the incident, her husband was 47 years old and her brother-in-law was 46 years old. The cause of death for both was stated as “respiratory and sudden cardiac arrest”.
Ms. Zhou said, according to the regulations of the station, Yuan’s working hours were from 9 am to 9 pm; Liang mainly worked night shifts, working for a full day and night, resting for a day, then working for another day and night. Yuan barely had any rest, only taking leave for special events.
After the incident, Ms. Zhou went to the Chang’an Road store of “E-le-me” in Taierzhuang to demand an explanation and requested labor contracts and insurance policies from the station, but there were no staff members present to respond or handle the matter. She mentioned that the labor contract signed by her husband and the station was in duplicate, but she did not have a copy. In addition, Yuan was deducted 260 yuan for insurance premiums every month.
Ms. Zhou reported the situation through the mayor’s hotline 12345 in Zaozhuang City.
On May 12, Ms. Zhou stated that she had received feedback that relevant local authorities have intervened.
After the media reported on the incident, Ms. Zhou mentioned that the staff of “E-le-me” had contacted her. In the afternoon of the 12th, they agreed to meet in person to address the matter.