Twenty-five dead after fire on cargo ship in eastern China

Twenty-five people have been killed in a devastating fire on a foreign-flagged cargo ship docked at a port in eastern China, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. The tragedy occurred at a shipyard in Qingdao, where the vessel, Ocean Melody, a 190m long Liberia-flagged carrier, was undergoing maintenance. The blaze erupted at around 11:15 local time, and was extinguished just over three hours later. Of the 42 people on board, 17 were evacuated, with five currently in stable condition at a hospital, according to CCTV reports. China's Premier Li Qiang called for the rescue of people trapped on board the ship, while the country's leader Xi Jinping stressed the need to prevent secondary disasters. The cause of the fire remains unclear, with an eyewitness describing thick smoke rising from the ship but hearing no explosion. This tragedy comes nearly a month after a shipyard explosion in the south-eastern Chinese province of Fujian killed a rescue worker and injured 12 others. The fire also raises concerns about the safety of cargo ships in the region's busiest ports. Qingdao is a major trading hub and ranks among the world's busiest ports. The vessel arrived in Qingdao on August 31, according to tracking site MarineTraffic. The incident is under investigation, and officials are working to determine the cause of the blaze. The rescue efforts were led by local authorities, with assistance from other emergency services. The Ocean Melody's owner has released a statement expressing condolences to the families of the victims and vowing to cooperate with the investigation. The ship's crew had been in the process of completing maintenance work when the fire broke out. The incident has sent shockwaves through the maritime community, with many calling for improved safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.