25 dead as fire engulfs cargo ship at China shipyard
A shipyard fire erupted on a bulk carrier under repair in China. The post 25 dead as fire engulfs cargo ship at China shipyard appeared first on FreightWaves .
A fire aboard a foreign‑flagged cargo ship undergoing repairs at a state‑owned shipyard in the eastern Chinese port city of Qingdao killed 25 people and injured five others on Thursday, Chinese state media reported.
The blaze broke out at about 11:15 a.m. local time at the Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Co. yard, part of China State Shipbuilding Corp., and was extinguished around 2:30 p.m., according to local authorities and state broadcaster CCTV. The vessel, identified as the Liberia‑flagged dry bulk carrier Ocean Melody, had 42 people on board at the time of the incident.
— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) September 10, 2026
20 killed after massive fire breaks out on cargo ship in China
The Liberian-flagged Ocean Melody caught fire while undergoing repairs at a shipyard in Qingdao
There were 42 people aboard. 20 have been confirmed dead, 5 missing, 5 hospitalized and 12 escaped safely
President… pic.twitter.com/iJ4JKU9wrS
Twelve individuals were evacuated safely, and five were injured and taken to hospital in stable condition. The remaining 25 missing were later found dead, bringing the confirmed death toll to 25, Xinhua and other state outlets said Thursday evening.
The 20-year old Ocean Melody arrived at the Qingdao shipyard on Aug. 31 and was in port for repair and inspection when the fire erupted, according to Chinese state media reports. The ship is managed by Yuyangkunpeng Shanghai Ship Management and owned by Huili Shipping Co., Xinhua reported.
Dramatic footage shared online showed thick smoke billowing from the vessel while it was moored at the yard, highlighting the intensity of the blaze at one of China’s major shipbuilding and repair hubs.
The cause of the fire remained unclear as of Thursday evening, with authorities saying an investigation was underway into what sparked the blaze during maintenance work. Emergency management, fire and rescue, police, and medical teams were mobilized immediately after the fire was reported, and rescue operations continued through the afternoon and into the evening as crews searched the ship.
Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
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