Twenty-five people have died and the central government has made the incident a national priority after a fire broke out on a cargo ship undergoing maintenance at a Qingdao shipyard. Officials say the blaze began at 11:15 local time, 03:15 GMT, and was extinguished just over three hours later.
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State reports say 42 people were on board the vessel. Seventeen were evacuated and five are receiving hospital treatment in stable condition. Photographs released by official outlets identified the ship as the Ocean Melody, a 190m, 623ft Liberia-flagged carrier that tracking data shows arrived in Qingdao on 31 August.
China’s leader, Xi Jinping, instructed authorities to carry out urgent search and rescue efforts and to launch a swift investigation, language that elevates the response to a central government priority. Premier Li Qiang pressed for the rescue of those still trapped and warned officials to "prevent secondary disasters".
Eyewitnesses reported thick smoke rising from the vessel but did not describe an explosion. Officials have not published a timeline for further casualty updates, and they say details about nationalities of those on board have not yet been released.
State reports indicate the ship’s foreign registration means owners or representatives of the flag state are likely to be involved in both rescue coordination and the upcoming probe, though authorities have not named which entities have been notified. Investigators have said they will examine the circumstances of the blaze, including the vessel’s maintenance status at the time it caught fire.
The fire comes nearly a month after a separate shipyard explosion in Fujian province that killed a rescue worker and injured 12 others. Emergency crews and investigators are expected to remain at the Qingdao shipyard until search operations conclude and a formal account of the incident is assembled. Officials say more authoritative details on casualties and the cause will depend on official updates as the situation develops.
