Twenty-five people were killed and five others injured after a fire broke out on a Liberia-flagged cargo ship undergoing repairs at a shipyard in the eastern Chinese port city of Qingdao on Thursday, state media reported.
The fire broke out at 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.
42 people were on board the ill-fated ship
A total of 42 people were aboard the ship, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Rescuers located all 25 people who had initially been reported missing, but none showed signs of life.
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 deployed to conduct search and rescue operations.
President Xi orders probe
President Xi Jinping directed authorities to intensify rescue efforts, provide support to those affected and quickly determine the cause of the fire. He also called for those responsible to be held accountable and urged local authorities to identify and address fire hazards to prevent similar major accidents.
Premier Li Qiang called for full efforts to treat the injured, complete follow-up operations and prevent secondary disasters. He also directed the State Council to use the incident as a warning to strengthen workplace safety responsibilities and step up inspections for potential risks.
The Ministry of Emergency Management sent a working group to the site to assist with rescue and investigation efforts, while authorities in Shandong province mobilised resources for the emergency response.
A photograph released by Xinhua indicated that the vessel may be the Liberia-flagged bulk carrier Ocean Melody, which MarineTraffic showed as being 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 around 330 hectares along a 9-km stretch of coastline.
Also Read:
Xi Jinping to attend BRICS Summit in Delhi, marking Chinese president's first visit in seven years
