Cargo Ship Fire at Qingdao Port Kills 25; Xi Orders Urgent Rescue Effort
A fire aboard a cargo ship undergoing repairs at Qingdao port in China killed 25 people, with 12 evacuated safely and five hospitalised in stable condition.
A cargo ship undergoing repairs at a port in eastern China caught fire on Thursday, killing 25 people, according to Chinese state media.
The vessel was docked at a yard operated by Beihai Shipbuilding Co. in Qingdao, a major shipping hub on China's northeastern coast. A photograph distributed by the Xinhua news agency identified the ship as the Ocean Melody, which flies the Liberian flag, according to the vessel-tracking website VesselFinder.
Forty-two people were aboard when the fire broke out. Twelve were evacuated safely, while five others were taken to hospital and remained in a stable condition.
The blaze began at around 11 a.m. local time and was brought under control by about 2:30 p.m.
President Xi Jinping issued what state media described as "important instructions" calling for an urgent rescue of anyone still missing on the ship. Premier Li Qiang also urged that people trapped aboard be rescued. Xi further directed that preventive measures be fully implemented and that major and catastrophic accidents be resolutely prevented.
Beihai Shipbuilding is a subsidiary of the state-controlled China State Shipbuilding Corporation, the largest shipbuilder in the world. According to its website, its core operations cover both shipbuilding and ship repair.