At least 25 people were killed after the Ocean Melody, a foreign-flagged cargo ship, caught fire while undergoing repairs at a shipyard in Qingdao, China. The blaze broke out at around 11:15 a.m. on Thursday during repair and inspection work.

The 190-metre-long vessel was sailing under the Liberian flag and had arrived at the Qingdao shipyard on August 31. The ship had 42 people on board when the fire erupted.

Rescue operation at China shipyard

Chinese state media reported that 17 people were safely evacuated, including five who were taken to hospital with injuries. Their condition was reported as stable.

Firefighters and emergency teams battled the flames for several hours before bringing the fire under control at around 2:30 p.m. Thick smoke was seen rising from the vessel, while there were no immediate reports of an explosion.

Xi Jinping orders fire investigation

Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered intensified search and rescue operations and called for a thorough investigation into the cause of the deadly fire.

Authorities have not yet established what caused the blaze. Officials have also been directed to strengthen fire-safety measures and prevent similar accidents.

The shipyard is operated by China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), one of the world’s largest shipbuilding companies. The incident has renewed attention on safety risks during ship repair and maintenance operations.