25 dead after cargo ship catches fire at China’s Qingdao shipyard

2 min readUpdated: Sep 10, 2026 08:06 PM IST

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, firefighters vehicles parked near a repair cargo ship after it caught fire at a port in Qingdao, east Chinas Shandong Province, Thursday. (AP)

Twenty-five people were killed after a foreign-flagged cargo ship caught fire while undergoing repairs at a shipyard in Qingdao, China, on Thursday, Chinese state media reported.

The vessel, identified as the Ocean Melody, was undergoing repair and inspection work at Beihai Shipbuilding Co. in Qingdao, a major port city on China’s northeastern coast. The 20-year-old vessel is a dry bulk carrier sailing under the Liberian flag.

China’s Xinhua news agency released a photograph identifying the ship as the Ocean Melody. The vessel sails under a Liberian flag, according to the tracking website VesselFinder.

BREAKING: Fire on cargo ship in China kills 20 people, state media reports https://t.co/7bc7c5MzSH pic.twitter.com/CW8vKHPIro — Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) September 10, 2026

There were 42 people aboard the ship when the incident occurred, Xinhua reported. Twelve people were safely evacuated, while five others suffered injuries and were taken to hospital. Their condition was reported to be stable.

The fire broke out at around 11 am on Thursday and was brought under control by approximately 2.30 pm local time.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for intensified rescue efforts, a swift investigation and accountability over the incident, while Premier Li Qiang urged authorities to rescue those trapped aboard the vessel and provide medical care to the injured. Xi also called for stronger preventive measures and urged authorities to prevent major and catastrophic accidents.

Videos circulating online showed workers aboard the vessel trying to bring the fire under control.

Beihai Shipbuilding is a unit of the state-controlled China State Shipbuilding Corporation, described as the world’s largest shipbuilder. According to the company’s website, its primary businesses include shipbuilding and ship repair.

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