Well, that's not quite the full story, is it. He couldn't take time off work because he'd used all his vacation and holiday; presumably he couldn't quit because

Well, that's not quite the full story, is it. He couldn't take time off work because he'd used all his vacation and holiday; presumably he couldn't quit because he needed money to eat. He didn't seem to be mentally well; who would start a second fire after the first? ISTM that a society which forces people to work at the margin like this is going to reap a harvest of questionable quality.