Twenty-five people were killed after a fire broke out aboard the Liberia-flagged bulk carrier Ocean Melody while it was undergoing repair work at CSSC Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding in eastern China on Thursday, according to Chinese authorities.
The fire started at about 11:15 am local time on September 10 while the vessel was being inspected and repaired at the Qingdao yard. There were 42 people aboard the ship when the blaze ignited. Twelve individuals escaped safely, while five injured people were taken to hospital and are in stable condition. The remaining 25 were initially listed as missing.
Open flames were extinguished at about 2:30 pm. By 5:30 pm, rescuers recovered 20 of the missing people without signs of life. The fire and rescue command later stated all 25 missing individuals had been found dead. The cause of the fire has not been disclosed.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an urgent search for those missing, treatment of the injured and a rapid investigation into the cause of the accident. Premier Li Qiang called for measures to prevent secondary accidents. China's Ministry of Emergency Management sent a working group to the site.
Ocean Melody, IMO 9303065, is a 55,742-dwt dry bulk carrier built in 2006 and registered under the Liberian flag. The vessel is registered to China's Huili Shipping Co Ltd and is managed by Chinese ship manager Yuyangkunpeng (Shanghai) Ship Management Co Ltd. AIS and vessel-tracking data show the 190-metre bulker arrived in Qingdao on August 31 and remained there before the accident.
China State Shipbuilding Corp is a state-owned enterprise operating as a primary marine equipment and commercial vessel builder. Its subsidiary, Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding, functions as a major shipbuilding and repair complex; its current portfolio includes an orderbook of more than 100 vessels, with green-fuelled ships—such as large bulk carriers, very large ore carriers and alternative-fuel ships for international owners—accounting for more than 80% of the total.