A major fire on board a Liberian-flagged cargo ship at a shipyard in Qingdao, China, has reportedly left at least 25 people dead.
The incident occurred on September 10, 2026, at the Qingdao Beihai Shipyard, where the vessel was undergoing maintenance and repair work.
According to initial reports, the affected vessel has been identified as Ocean Melody, a 190-metre dry bulk carrier sailing under the Liberian flag. The ship had reportedly been at the shipyard since August 31.
Vessel name : Ocean Melody
Built : 2006
Flag : Liberian
Ship type : Bulk Carrier
Lenght : 189,99 mtr
Beam : 32,26 mtr
Owner based in China
Fire Broke Out During Maintenance Work
The fire reportedly started at around 11:15 AM local time while routine maintenance and repair inspections were being carried out on board the vessel.
Emergency crews were dispatched to the scene, and firefighters reportedly spent around three hours bringing the fire under control and fully extinguishing the open flames.
The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.
42 People Were Reportedly on Board
Initial information indicates that there were 42 people on board at the time of the incident.
Reports said that 12 people were safely evacuated, while five injured workers were taken to hospital and were reported to be in stable condition.
The remaining 25 individuals were reportedly found with no signs of life, making this one of the most serious shipyard-related maritime incidents reported in China this year.
Ocean Melody Fire at Qingdao Beihai Shipyard
The Ocean Melody is reportedly a 190-metre-long dry bulk carrier flying the Liberian flag.
The fire took place at the state-owned Qingdao Beihai Shipyard, which is operated by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).
The shipyard is an important shipbuilding and repair facility in Qingdao, one of China’s major maritime and industrial cities.
Investigation Underway After Deadly Cargo Ship Fire
Chinese authorities have reportedly launched an investigation into the deadly fire to determine how the incident occurred.
According to reports, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a full investigation and stronger safety measures following the disaster.
At this stage, the exact cause of the Ocean Melody fire has not been confirmed.
Further information is expected as authorities continue their investigation and release more details about the incident.
From my experiences there is only one ignition of fire onboard a ship which is fuel oil tanks so if they were doing a welding operation near these tanks and caused a fire then all workers inside ballast tanks could be effected directly and didn’t have a chance to escape.
