25 killed in fire on foreign-flagged cargo ship at China shipyard

Twenty-five people were killed and five others injured after a fire broke out on a foreign-flagged cargo ship undergoing repairs at a shipyard in China’s eastern port city of Qingdao, state media reported on Thursday.

The fire broke out around 11:15 am while the vessel was undergoing maintenance at China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Co Ltd, according to the municipal fire and rescue bureau.

A total of 42 people were aboard the ship, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Rescuers located all 25 people initially reported missing, but none showed signs of life.

Local authorities said 12 people were safely evacuated, while the five injured were taken to hospital and were in stable condition.

Emergency management, fire and rescue, police and medical teams were immediately mobilised to carry out search and rescue operations.

President Xi Jinping directed authorities to step up rescue efforts, provide assistance to those affected and quickly determine the cause of the fire. He also called for those responsible to be held accountable, according to Xinhua.

Xi urged local governments and departments to learn lessons from the incident, strengthen fire-safety inspections and eliminate potential hazards to prevent major accidents.

Premier Li Qiang directed authorities to ensure proper treatment of the injured, handle the aftermath and guard against secondary disasters.

The Ministry of Emergency Management sent a working group to the site to guide rescue and investigation efforts, while authorities in Shandong province mobilised additional resources.

A photograph released by Xinhua indicated that the vessel could be the Liberia-flagged bulk carrier Ocean Melody. MarineTraffic data showed the vessel was moored in Qingdao.

Qingdao Beihai is a major shipyard operated by China State Shipbuilding Corporation and specialises in commercial shipbuilding, ship repair and offshore engineering. Its facilities cover about 330 hectares along 9 km of coastline.