At least 20 people have died after a fire broke out aboard a foreign-flagged cargo ship undergoing maintenance at a port in Qingdao, eastern China. The blaze triggered a major emergency response, with dozens of people trapped on board as authorities launched a search and rescue operation.
Highlights
- At least 20 people have been confirmed dead.
- Twelve people were evacuated from the vessel.
- Five survivors were taken to hospital and reported to be in stable condition.
- The fire broke out while the ship was undergoing maintenance in Qingdao.
- Chinese authorities ordered an extensive search and rescue operation.
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Fire Breaks Out During Ship Maintenance
A deadly fire has claimed at least 20 lives aboard a cargo vessel docked at a shipyard in Qingdao, China.
The blaze reportedly started at around 11:15am local time while the vessel was undergoing maintenance. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that firefighters managed to extinguish the fire slightly more than three hours later.
An eyewitness who spoke to AFP described seeing heavy smoke billowing from the vessel as emergency crews responded to the incident.
Dozens Were on Board
According to CCTV, there were 42 people aboard the ship when the fire broke out.
Twelve people were evacuated, while five others were taken to hospital. The five injured survivors were said to be in stable condition.
The death toll currently stands at at least 20, although rescue and recovery operations have continued as authorities work to establish the full extent of the tragedy.
Chinese President Xi Jinping directed authorities to carry out an extensive search and rescue operation.
Premier Li Qiang also called for those still trapped to be rescued while urging officials to take precautions against further accidents during the emergency response.
Vessel Identified as Ocean Melody
Images released by Chinese state media identified the vessel as the Ocean Melody, a Liberia-flagged cargo carrier measuring about 190 metres in length.
Ship-tracking information indicated that the vessel had arrived in Qingdao on August 31, shortly before the incident.
Investigators are expected to establish what caused the fire and determine how the blaze spread through the ship.
Comes After Another Shipyard Tragedy
The Qingdao incident comes weeks after another deadly accident at a Chinese shipyard.
An explosion at a shipyard in Fujian Province in southeastern China reportedly killed one rescue worker and left 12 others injured.
The latest incident is therefore likely to renew questions about safety measures at shipyards and the risks faced by workers carrying out maintenance on large vessels.
As rescue teams continue working at the scene, authorities are expected to investigate the cause of the fire and establish whether any safety failures contributed to the deaths.
As investigations begin, the tragedy is a stark reminder of how quickly routine industrial work can turn into a deadly emergency.
