A cargo ship undergoing repairs at a major shipbuilding facility in Qingdao, China, caught fire on Thursday, leaving 25 people dead and five others injured.
The vessel, identified by Xinhua as the Ocean Melody, was being repaired at Beihai Shipbuilding Co. when the fire broke out.
Forty-two people were reportedly aboard the Liberia-flagged vessel at the time.
Twelve people were evacuated, while five injured victims were taken to hospital. Their conditions were said to be stable.
The fire started at about 11 a.m. and was brought under control around 2:30 p.m., with videos showing workers battling the flames aboard the ship.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered emergency rescue efforts to locate anyone still missing and called for stronger safety measures.
Premier Li Qiang also directed authorities to rescue people believed to be trapped on the vessel.
The incident occurred at Beihai Shipbuilding, part of the state-owned China State Shipbuilding Corporation, regarded as the world’s largest shipbuilder.
Authorities are expected to investigate the cause of the fire and determine whether safety procedures were properly followed during the repair work.
The deadly incident has renewed concerns about the risks faced by workers and crew members during ship maintenance operations at major shipyards.
