A major fire broke out on a cargo ship at the Beihai shipyard in Qingdao Port, Shandong Province, China. The Liberia-flagged cargo vessel Ocean Melody was undergoing maintenance and repair work at the shipyard when the fire suddenly broke out. According to the information available, around 42 people were on board the vessel at the time of the incident. The fire started at around 11 a.m. and spread inside the ship, creating a major emergency at the busy port facility. Firefighters rushed to the scene and fought the flames for several hours before bringing the fire under control at around 2 p.m. The accident has resulted in a heavy loss of life. At least 20 people were reported dead, while five others are still missing. Rescue teams have been carrying out search operations to locate those who may still be trapped inside the vessel or the surrounding shipyard area.
Chinese authorities have ordered an urgent investigation into the incident. President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang have directed officials to speed up the search for the missing people, provide necessary assistance to those affected and determine how the fire started. Shipyard fires can be particularly dangerous because vessels undergoing repairs may contain fuel, oil, electrical equipment and other flammable materials. Investigators are expected to examine the ship’s maintenance work, safety procedures and possible equipment failures as part of the probe. The authorities are also expected to review safety measures at the shipyard to prevent similar accidents in the future. The exact cause of the fire and further details about the victims are expected to be released as the investigation continues.
