A cargo ship caught fire while docked at a port in China, resulting in at least 20 fatalities and leaving five individuals unaccounted for, according to state media reports on Thursday. The vessel was undergoing repairs by Beihai Shipbuilding Co. at the port of Qingdao, a prominent shipping center on northeastern China’s coast. Images published by the Xinhua news agency pointed to the ship as the Ocean Melody, a Liberian-flagged vessel based on tracking data from VesselFinder. Xinhua stated that 42 people were aboard the ship in total, with 12 safely evacuated. Five people sustained injuries and were hospitalized in stable condition. The blaze erupted at approximately 11 a.m. on Thursday and firefighters put it out by 2:30 p.m. local time. Chinese President Xi Jinping gave critical directives to prioritize finding the missing individuals, while Premier Li Qiang likewise urged rescue efforts for those trapped, Xinhua reported. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the fire. Xinhua also noted that President Xi emphasized the necessity of holding accountable those at fault. A nearby resident told AFP that heavy smoke was visible from the vessel, though no flames or explosions were observed.
Source: cbsnews.com
