Twenty-five dead after fire erupts on cargo ship in Qingdao, eastern China
A fire on the Liberia-flagged cargo ship Ocean Melody at a shipyard in Qingdao, China, has resulted in 25 deaths. The vessel was undergoing maintenance when the blaze broke out, and authorities are currently investigating the cause.
Why it matters
This incident highlights significant safety concerns within the global shipping and shipyard maintenance industry, particularly in major trading hubs.
Figure caption, Watch: Thick plumes of smoke rise from cargo ship fire in Qingdao, China
Twenty-five people have been killed in a fire on a foreign-flagged cargo ship docked at a port in eastern China, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
Of the 42 people on board, 17 were were evacuated of which five are in hospital in stable condition, CCTV reports.
The vessel was undergoing maintenance at a shipyard in the city of Qingdao when the blaze erupted at around 11:15 local time (03:15 GMT). It was put out just over three hours later, according to CCTV.
Photos released by state media showed the vessel to be the Ocean Melody, a 190m (623ft) long Liberia-flagged carrier which arrived in Qingdao on 31 August, according to tracking site MarineTraffic.
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