Twenty-five individuals lost their lives in a fire that erupted on a foreign cargo vessel being repaired at a state-run shipyard in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao on Thursday, according to reports from state media. The incident occurred around 11:15 a.m. local time at the Qingdao Beihai shipyard during routine repair and inspection activities. Out of the 42 individuals on board, 12 were safely evacuated, while five sustained injuries and were taken to hospitals for treatment. The fire was successfully extinguished by early afternoon, as confirmed by state media sources.
In response to the tragic event, Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for intensified search and rescue operations, a prompt investigation into the incident, and the implementation of accountability measures, as reported by Xinhua. A photo released by Xinhua depicted the vessel involved in the incident as the Ocean Melody. Ship-tracking data from LSEG identified it as a 20-year-old dry bulk carrier flying the flag of Liberia and managed by Yuyangkunpeng Shanghai Shp Mgm, with Huili Shipping Co. Ltd. listed as its registered owner.
The vessel had arrived at the Qingdao shipyard on August 31 and had been stationed there since, as indicated by LSEG data. The shipyard is overseen by the state-owned China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), which is recognized as one of the world’s leading shipbuilding companies. CSSC positions itself as China’s primary naval shipbuilder and the largest manufacturer of ships and offshore equipment in the country.