CHINA – 25 Dead After Fire Breaks Out on Cargo Ship During Maintenance in Qingdao

A fire broke out aboard a foreign cargo ship undergoing maintenance at a shipyard in Qingdao, China, on September 10, 2026, leaving 25 people dead and five others injured.

The incident occurred at Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation. At the time of the fire, 42 people were aboard the vessel. Twelve managed to evacuate safely, while five were hospitalized with injuries.

The Ministry of Emergency Management dispatched a working group to the scene to assist with the emergency response and subsequent investigation. The precise cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Fire broke out during morning maintenance

The fire was reported at approximately 11:15 a.m. on September 10.

Shandong Province and Qingdao City immediately activated their emergency response mechanisms. Emergency management authorities, firefighters, police, medical personnel and other departments were sent to the shipyard to carry out rescue and firefighting operations.

By approximately 2:30 p.m., the visible flames had largely been brought under control. However, 25 people aboard the vessel remained unaccounted for, prompting rescuers to continue searching the ship’s interior.

At around 5:30 p.m., rescuers recovered 20 of the missing people, but none had vital signs. The remaining five missing individuals were subsequently located. By 7:24 p.m., authorities had confirmed that all 25 missing people had died.

The final reported casualty figures were therefore 25 dead, five injured and 12 safely evacuated.

Following the accident, central authorities called for every effort to be made to rescue those trapped, properly manage the aftermath and determine the cause of the incident as quickly as possible. They also called for accountability in accordance with the law and urged a comprehensive investigation and rectification of fire hazards in shipbuilding and other high-risk industries.

Vessel identified as OCEAN MELODY

According to publicly available maritime records, the ship is a Supramax-class dry bulk carrier built in 2006. It was therefore approximately 20 years old when the accident occurred.

The vessel is about 190 meters long and 32 meters wide, with a deadweight of approximately 55,700 tonnes and a gross tonnage of 31,279 tonnes. It is designed primarily to transport dry bulk commodities such as coal, iron ore and grain.

The ship currently sails under the Liberian flag and is registered in Monrovia. Its classification is handled by the Japan Maritime Association, also known as ClassNK.

Maritime records identify the vessel by IMO number 9303065. It was built by Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding in February 2006. Huili Shipping Co Ltd is listed as its registered owner, while Yuyangkunpeng Shanghai Ship Mgm is identified as the company’s International Safety Management operator.

Ship had entered Qingdao shipyard in late August

AIS tracking information shows that the vessel was operating in the Singapore Strait in mid-August. It passed through the Taiwan Strait around August 20 before travelling from the Chongming Island area toward Qingdao.

The ship was expected to reach Qingdao on the evening of August 30 and entered the Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding dry dock on August 31.

Available information indicates that the planned maintenance work included removing rust and repainting the hull, conducting structural inspections and repairs, and dismantling and overhauling equipment.

At the time of the fire, the vessel’s AIS status was recorded as “moored,” with a reported draft of approximately 6.1 meters.

The official information released so far has described the incident as a fire occurring during maintenance at the port. Details about the exact maintenance operation being performed when the fire started have not yet been disclosed.

Confined spaces can make fires especially deadly

The internal structure of a bulk carrier can make a fire extremely difficult to escape from.

Cargo holds, machinery spaces, pump rooms and ballast tanks may have limited ventilation and restricted access. During maintenance, paints, thinners, rust-removal products and other chemicals can also release flammable vapors. If ventilation is inadequate, these vapors may accumulate and create an explosive atmosphere.

A fire in an enclosed compartment also creates dangers beyond the flames themselves. Combustion can rapidly reduce oxygen levels while producing toxic gases and dense smoke. People exposed to such conditions can quickly become disoriented or lose their ability to move and escape.

Consequently, fatalities in enclosed-space fires can result not only from burns but also from smoke inhalation, toxic gases and oxygen deficiency.

Investigation into cause is ongoing

The cause of the September 10 fire has not yet been officially determined.

Key questions include what maintenance activity was underway when the fire started, what ignited the blaze, how quickly the fire and smoke spread through the vessel, and why so many people were unable to escape.

The investigation is expected to provide further information about the maintenance work, safety procedures, fire-control measures and circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Until those findings are released, the specific cause of the accident remains unconfirmed.

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