Twenty‑five crew members of the Liberia‑flagged cargo ship Ocean Melody were killed when the vessel caught fire during maintenance at Qingdao port on 10 September 2026.
Of the 42 people on board, 17 were evacuated, and five residents were transported to a nearby hospital in stable condition, according to CCTV reports.
The blaze erupted at about 11:15 local time (03:15 GMT) and was extinguished after approximately three hours.
The cause of the fire remains unclear; eyewitnesses described thick smoke but no explosion.
Chinese leaders have called for an all‑out search and rescue effort; Premier Li Qiang urged prevention of secondary disasters, while President Xi Jinping emphasized comprehensive rescue operations.
The incident follows a recent shipyard explosion in Fujian that killed a rescue worker and injured twelve, highlighting ongoing concerns over maritime safety in China’s busiest ports.
