BEIJING — A fire broke out Thursday on a cargo ship undergoing repairs at a Chinese port, killing 25 people, according to Chinese state media.
The vessel was docked at Beihai Shipbuilding Co. in Qingdao, a major shipping center on China’s northeastern coast, when the blaze erupted.
A photo distributed by the Xinhua news agency identified the ship as the Ocean Melody, which sails under a Liberian flag, according to the vessel-tracking site VesselFinder.
Xinhua reported that 42 people were aboard the ship at the time, with 12 managing to evacuate safely.
Five others were injured and transported to a hospital, where they were listed in stable condition.
The fire began at about 11 a.m. Thursday and was brought under control by 2:30 p.m. local time, the report said.
Videos posted online appeared to show workers on the vessel trying to extinguish the flames.
Chinese President Xi Jinping issued “important instructions” calling for urgent rescue efforts for people missing on the ship, Xinhua said, while Premier Li Qiang urged rescuers to save those who were “trapped.”
Xi also called for ensuring “preventive measures are thoroughly implemented” and “resolutely prevent major and catastrophic accidents.”
Beihai Shipbuilding is part of the state-controlled China State Shipbuilding Corporation, the world’s largest shipbuilder.
Its main businesses include shipbuilding and ship repairing, according to Beihai Shipbuilding’s website.
