A fire that broke out in a semi-truck carrying 14,000 pairs of Adidas shoes on an East China highway Saturday morning was only the beginning of the driver's problems.

As Wenzhou firefighters worked to put out the fire, the driver surnamed Li watched helplessly as locals scrambled to make off with the undamaged boxes, video shows.

Police were called after the truck burst into flames on a G15 Shenhai Expressway overpass, media reported.

Firefighters determined the blaze was caused by overheated brakes. "By the time I realized it was already on fire," Li said while taking the video.

Li and firefighters worked to throw the remaining boxes from the overpass to a grassy patch below.

But despite their best efforts, they couldn't stop locals from fleecing Li of his footwear.

Li estimates the accident in total cost him up to 3 million yuan ($450,000) in losses.

Authorities have condemned locals for their looting.

"Perhaps it's his only hope to raise his family," highway police said in a statement. 

The Beijing News