Twenty-five people were killed after a cargo ship caught fire while undergoing repairs at a port in China, state media reported on Thursday.
The fire broke out aboard the vessel at Beihai Shipbuilding Co. in Qingdao, one of China’s major shipping hubs on the northeastern coast. The ship was docked at the facility for repair work when the incident occurred.
China’s Xinhua news agency identified the vessel as the Ocean Melody. The cargo ship is registered under the Liberian flag, according to vessel-tracking website VesselFinder.
There were 42 people aboard the ship when the fire broke out, Xinhua reported. Twelve people were rescued safely, while five others sustained injuries and were taken to hospital. Their conditions were described as stable.
The blaze was reported at around 11am local time on Thursday and was brought under control by approximately 2:30pm, according to state media.
Chinese President Xi Jinping issued “important instructions” following the incident and called for immediate rescue efforts to locate those still missing from the vessel. Premier Li Qiang also directed authorities to rescue people who remained trapped aboard the ship.
Xi stressed the need to ensure that preventive measures are fully implemented and called on authorities to take steps to prevent major and catastrophic accidents.
Videos circulating online showed workers on the vessel attempting to contain the flames as emergency crews responded to the incident.
Beihai Shipbuilding is a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), a state-owned company that is regarded as the world’s largest shipbuilder. The company’s operations include both ship construction and ship repair.
Authorities are continuing efforts to determine the cause of the fire and account for everyone who was aboard the vessel when the incident occurred.
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