A devastating fire aboard a cargo vessel docked at a shipyard in eastern China has resulted in 25 fatalities, according to state media broadcasts. The incident occurred while the ship was undergoing maintenance at a facility located in the port city of Qingdao.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that there were 42 individuals on board the vessel when the flames broke out at approximately 11:15 local time. Emergency responders managed to evacuate 17 people from the ship. Among those rescued, five individuals sustained injuries requiring hospital treatment and are currently listed in stable condition.

Footage and photographs published by state media outlets depicted dense columns of black smoke billowing from the vessel into the sky above the port. Witnesses in the area described thick smoke enveloping the surrounding shipyard as firefighters and rescue crews rushed to the scene. Marine tracking data identified the ship as the Ocean Melody, a 190-meter-long carrier flying the Liberian flag that had docked in Qingdao late last month.

Top leadership in Beijing responded swiftly to the emergency. President Xi Jinping issued directives demanding an intensive, all-out search and rescue operation. At the same time, Premier Li Qiang emphasized the urgency of locating anyone still trapped on the vessel while cautioning responders to guard against secondary disasters during the operation.

Firefighting teams battled the blaze for just over three hours before finally bringing it under control. The cause of the initial ignition remains under investigation by local authorities.

This marine disaster follows a separate industrial accident in southeastern China roughly a month prior. In that incident, an explosion at a shipyard in Fujian province resulted in the death of a rescue worker and left 12 others with injuries. Safety protocols at heavy industrial sites across the country continue to face scrutiny following a series of recent incidents.

Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.