Qingdao shipyard fire kills 20 on Liberia-flagged cargo ship under repair

A fire tore through a Liberia-flagged cargo ship under repair at Qingdao Beihai shipyard, killing 20 people. The disaster prompted orders from Xi Jinping and Li Qiang for a swift probe, rescue push and tighter safety checks.

In Short

• Blaze began around 11.15 am at the state-owned Beihai yard
• President Xi demanded stronger rescue work and a swift cause investigation
• Premier Li urged treatment for injured workers and prevention of secondary disasters

At least 20 people were killed after a fire broke out on a foreign-flagged cargo ship that was undergoing repairs at a shipyard in the eastern Chinese port city of Qingdao, state media reported on Thursday. The blaze started at the state-owned Qingdao Beihai shipyard, with reports placing the start time at around 11.15 am.

State-run CGTN reported the death toll at 20, while state broadcaster CCTV said President Xi Jinping had ordered stronger search and rescue efforts. Xi also called for a swift investigation into the cause of the fire, along with prompt follow-up action and support for the victims.

According to CCTV, Xi said all regions and relevant departments must “draw profound lessons from the blaze”, tighten preventive measures and “resolutely curb major accidents to safeguard lives and property”. The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post said it was a rare instance of instructions from the top leadership accompanying an accident report.

A photo released by state news agency Xinhua suggested the vessel was the Liberia-flagged bulk carrier Ocean Melody. According to the MarineTraffic website, the ship is moored in Qingdao. Premier Li Qiang ordered emergency teams to “focus on rescuing trapped personnel and treating the injured”, while “preventing secondary disasters”, CCTV reported. He also directed the State Council to use the incident as a warning to tighten safety production responsibilities across localities and sectors, and to deepen inspections for risk hazards.

The Ministry of Emergency Management sent a working group to the scene to guide rescue and investigation efforts, while authorities in Shandong mobilised resources for on-site operations, CCTV said. Qingdao Beihai, managed by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, is a major shipyard specialising in commercial shipbuilding, ship repair and offshore engineering. Reports said its facilities cover 330 hectares along 9 km of coastline. The fire on the ship under repair has left 20 dead and triggered rescue, investigation and safety review measures.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends