Qingdao Cargo Ship Fire Kills 25 During Repairs, Injuring 5 at Major China Port

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 10

At least 25 people died after a cargo ship caught fire around 11:15 a.m. while docked for repairs at Qingdao port, up from an earlier reported toll of 20.
Forty-two people were on board the Ocean Melody; 12 were rescued, and five injured workers were hospitalized in stable condition after the blaze was put out about 2:30 p.m.
Xinhua identified the vessel as the Liberia-flagged Ocean Melody, which was being repaired by Beihai Shipbuilding, a unit of state-owned China State Shipbuilding Corp.
Chinese authorities have not said what sparked the fire and are investigating the cause, while President Xi Jinping called for stronger support for victims and tighter accident prevention.
Qingdao is one of China's busiest ports and a major shipbuilding hub, putting the disaster in focus for industrial safety at a key trade gateway.