Beijing.- A Qingdao fire that occurred this Thursday morning on a foreign-flagged cargo ship left at least 20 dead and five people missing at the port of that city, located in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong, official media reported.
The incident occurred around 11:15 local time (03:15 GMT) at the Beihai Shipbuilding company facilities, while the vessel was docked for repair work, according to the state agency Xinhua.
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The authorities did not specify which country the affected vessel belongs to, but reported that there were a total of 42 people on board. Twelve of them were safely evacuated and five injured people were taken to the hospital, where they are in stable condition.
Qingdao Fire
The Qingdao fire was extinguished around 14:30 local time (06:30 GMT). By 17:30 (09:30 GMT), rescue teams had located 20 of the 25 people initially reported missing, all with no signs of life.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered the intensification of search and rescue efforts for the missing persons. Likewise, he called for a swift investigation into the cause of the fire and to ensure follow-up and care for the victims without delay, according to state media.
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“All regions and competent departments must draw deep lessons from the fire, strengthen preventive measures, and firmly curb serious accidents to safeguard lives and property,” declared Xi.
Qingdao fire: rescue
Chinese Premier Li Qiang also gave instructions to intensify search and rescue efforts for those trapped, to devote “all efforts” to treating the injured, and to prevent secondary disasters.
He also asked his cabinet to take this event as a warning about the need to strengthen risk inspections and tighten safety responsibilities.
Following the incident, emergency management, fire and rescue, police, and health departments were mobilized to carry out search and rescue operations, which are currently underway.
