Terrible fire on cargo ship in China, at least 25 killed

At least 25 people were killed after a Liberia-flagged cargo ship caught fire at China’s Qingdao port on Thursday (September 10). The vessel was docked for repairs, state media reported.

According to CCTV, 12 of the 42 people on board were safely evacuated, while five injured people were taken to hospital and are in stable condition.

The vessel, named Ocean Melody, was docked at Beihai Shipbuilding Company for repairs. The fire broke out at around 11:30 a.m. local time. The cause of the fire and whether it has been brought under control remain unclear.

Following the incident, Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an urgent search and rescue operation and called for the missing people to be found quickly. He also ordered strict action against those responsible for the accident.