Chinese cargo ship fire: 20 dead, 5 missing; Xi Jinping calls for search and rescue operations | Today’s news
At least 20 people were killed and five others were missing after a fire broke out aboard a foreign-flagged cargo ship docked at a port in China on Thursday, according to state media.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered authorities to step up search and rescue efforts and “stressed the need to … strictly hold those responsible accountable.”
After the incident, Xi Jinping stated that “all regions and relevant departments must learn deep lessons from this incident, thoroughly investigate and correct all types of fire hazards.”
The bulk carrier was docked in Qingdao, a major shipping hub in eastern China, when the fire started. According to state broadcaster CCTV, there were 42 people on board the vessel at the time.
Seventeen people were evacuated from the ship, including five who sustained injuries, while rescue teams were still searching for the five missing. CCTV reported that 20 others were found without signs of life.
CCTV reported that the flames were brought under control and “the open flames were extinguished around 2:30 p.m. (0630 GMT). Xinhua earlier reported that the fire started at approximately 11:15 a.m.”
According to Xinhua, “a foreign cargo ship, Beihai Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., in Qingdao, Shandong Province, caught fire during its port call for maintenance, causing heavy losses,” although the agency did not provide details on what caused the incident.
What did the witness say?
A witness living in a nearby residential complex told AFP he saw thick smoke rising from the vessel, although he said no explosion was heard.
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“I happened to see smoke from the ship, but no fire was visible,” he said. “I didn’t hear the explosion or feel anything.
Xinhua released a picture from the scene showing the Ocean Melody, a large vessel moored in a shipyard with several fire engines stationed outside.
MarineTraffic, a vessel tracking platform, identified the Ocean Melody as a 190-meter (623-foot) Liberian-flagged bulk carrier and reported that it was docked in Qingdao.
Qingdao, the city that gave Tsingtao beer its name, is also a key global shipping hub. State media reported that the port has maritime links with more than 700 ports in more than 180 countries and regions.
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Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Facility is part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation.
The latest incident comes amid a series of serious industrial accidents reported in China over the past year, with concerns often raised about a lack of enforcement of workplace safety standards.
Several fatal industrial and fire incidents in the past year in China
Recent industrial accidents have renewed concerns about safety standards in China.
A shipyard explosion followed by a fire in Fujian province in August claimed the life of a firefighter and rescue worker and injured 12 others, state media reported.
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China launched a nationwide drive to tackle fire risks in high-rise buildings last November after a massive fire tore through several residential towers in Hong Kong, killing 168 people.
The country also witnessed a deadly explosion at a fireworks factory in central China in May, which killed 37 and was among the deadliest industrial incidents reported in recent years.
In July, another fire at a shoe factory in the eastern province of Fujian left at least 28 dead.
