At Least 25 Dead in Massive Fire on Cargo Ship at Chinese Port
A massive fire broke out aboard an international cargo ship that was anchored for repairs at a major seaport in China, leaving at least 25 people dead.
The incident occurred on Thursday (September 10) in the Beihai Shipbuilding area of Qingdao Port in China’s northeastern coastal Shandong Province, according to Chinese state media CCTV and Xinhua.
According to reports, a total of 42 people were aboard the Liberia-flagged vessel, named Ocean Melody, when the fire broke out. Twelve people were safely rescued, while five injured people were admitted to hospital. The injured are currently in stable condition, according to reports.
The fire suddenly broke out at around 11:15 a.m. local time while repair work was underway on the vessel. The exact cause of the fire and whether it has been completely brought under control remain unclear.
Following the incident, Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered the rapid rescue of those still missing and called for strict action against those responsible for the accident. He also urged all regions and departments across the country to learn from the incident and strengthen firefighting measures.
Meanwhile, Chinese Premier Li Qiang ordered intensified rescue operations and called for vigilance to prevent any further accidents.
Rescue operations and an investigation into the cause of the accident are ongoing.
