It’s no secret that consumers have been acting out more and more since COVID lockdowns were let up. We’ve seen a rise in Karens and Kens yelling at employees, people acting out in stores, and sometimes straight up property distruction. But setting fire to your local Target store seems absolutely absurd, regardless how you feel about the department store chain.
In a TikTok posted by @jaki.arri, smoke fills the store as it seems like a fire was started in the Baby section at the Target where she works. In the comments, one user claims the Target in question is the store in Buena Park, CA, which is confirmed by local news reports mentioning the fire at the store. With Fall Out Boy’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” playing in the background, Jaki shows her and other Target employees evacuating the store, a shot of her BeReal during the evacuation, and the employees returning to the store once it was confirmed it was safe to reenter the building.
Jaki captioned the video saying “I was so unphased, I don’t think anything will phase me,” and it’s clear she meant what she said. Completely nonchalant about the fire, she not only took her time evacuating the store, but took time to film the actual fire as it was still burning strong, while guests run quickly past her as they evacuate. News reports confirm the fire was started as someone set fire to some baby clothes in that section, and the fire was put out by an employee using a fire extinguisher.
Some of the comments had people freaking out and worrying about Jaki and her co-workers after the incident. Fall Out Boy’s official account even commented, saying “Hope everyone is okay!” But a lot of people were relating to Jaki’s lack of emotion towards the events, as they’ve had similar experiences in retail hell. One commentor shared “We had a fire a few years back at mine and the people that stopped to use self check out and the employees had to stay with them.” Another said “If I don’t hear code red on the walkie, it ain’t serious.”
While it seems like this was an intentional fire considering it was clothes set on fire, many retail fire incidents happen by complete accident. Mechnaical failures, weather, or misused equipment can cause a fire at any moment. Other commentors mentioned at their local Target, the trash compator, refrigeration units, and even the computer system all caught fire at various times during their time working there. Whether you’re actually worried about your safety or you feel indifferent like Jaki, it’s important to know what your job’s fire safety plan is in case you’re ever in that situaiton.