At least 25 people have died after a foreign-flagged cargo ship caught fire while undergoing repairs at a port in Qingdao, eastern China.
China’s state broadcaster, CCTV, reported that 42 people were on board the vessel when the fire broke out on Thursday. Twelve people were safely evacuated, while five others were injured and taken to hospital. Their conditions were said to be stable.
According to state news agency Xinhua, the fire started at about 11:15 a.m. local time while the vessel was docked at Beihai Shipbuilding Company in Qingdao, one of China’s major shipping hubs.
The ship was identified as the Ocean Melody, a foreign-flagged vessel sailing under the Liberian flag.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known, and authorities had not confirmed whether the blaze had been fully extinguished.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered urgent search-and-rescue efforts and called for those responsible for the incident to be held accountable.
Premier Li Qiang also directed authorities to rescue people who may still be trapped and ensure that injured victims receive medical attention.
Authorities were further instructed to prevent secondary disasters and investigate potential fire hazards following the incident.
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