The Liberia-flagged Ocean Melody caught fire at a state-owned shipyard, with authorities investigating the cause.

A fire aboard the Liberia–flagged Ocean Melody killed 25 people while the cargo vessel was undergoing repairs at the Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding yard in eastern China, according to Chinese state media. The blaze broke out at about 11.15 a.m. local time on Sept 10 while 42 people were aboard the vessel.

Twelve were evacuated safely, and five were taken to a hospital with injuries and were reported to be in stable condition. The remaining 25 people were initially reported missing and were later found with no signs of life, bringing the confirmed death toll to 25.

The fire was extinguished at about 2.30 p.m., according to Chinese state media. Emergency, fire and rescue, police and medical teams were deployed to the shipyard following the incident.

The vessel was undergoing repair

The Ocean Melody is a 20-year-old dry bulk carrier operating under a Liberian flag. It had been at the Qingdao shipyard since Aug. 31 for repair and inspection work, according to vessel-tracking data cited by Reuters. The vessel is about 190 meters long and is managed by Yuyangkunpeng Shanghai Ship Management, with Huili Shipping Co. Ltd. listed as its owner.

Beihai Shipbuilding is part of China State Shipbuilding Corp., or CSSC, the state-owned shipbuilding group that operates facilities involved in both new construction and vessel repairs. The company confirmed that the incident involved a foreign-flagged vessel undergoing repair at its Qingdao subsidiary.

Death toll rises to 25

Initial reports put the death toll at 20, with five people missing. Rescue teams later located all 25 missing people, but none showed signs of life.

The final reported figure by Chinese state media was 25 dead, 12 safely evacuated and five injured, accounting to all 42 people who were aboard when the fire started.

Authorities have not publicly provided a detailed breakdown of those aboard, including how many were crew members and how many were shipyard personnel. Such information could provide additional context about the circumstances of the accident, but it has not been released.

Cause of fire remains under investigation

Authorities have not identified the cause for the fire. Current reporting establishes that the ship was undergoing repair and inspection work when the blaze broke out, but there is no confirmed link to a particular maintenance activity, piece of equipment or material.

The investigation is expected to focus on the circumstances surrounding the outbreak and the subsequent rescue operation. Any explanation involving specific repair work or safety failures would remain unverified until authorities release their findings. Government orders investigation and safety review

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for intensified search-and-rescue efforts, a prompt investigation into the cause of the accident and accountability of those responsible, according to the state media.

Premier Li Qiang also directed authorities to provide medical treatment to the injured and prevent secondary disasters. China’s Ministry of Emergency Management sent a working group to the site to assist with the response.

Xi also called for authorities to identify and address fire hazards and strengthen preventive measures following the incident.

The Qingdao fire therefore leaves two issues for investigators: what caused the blaze and how the fire spread through the vessel while it was undergoing repairs. It will also determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths and the emergency response.

For now, the confirmed facts are that the Ocean Melody caught fire during repair and inspection work at the Qingdao Beihai shipyard; 25 of the 42 people aboard died, five were injured and the cause remains under investigation.