Safety checks demanded after deadly cargo ship fire

President Xi Jinping has called for stepped-up efforts to identify and address fire hazards and prevent major accidents after a blaze aboard a foreign-flagged cargo ship killed 25 people in Qingdao, Shandong province, on Thursday.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the instruction after the vessel caught fire at around 11:15 am while it was docked for repairs at a shipyard of the Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Co, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Of the 42 people on board the ship when the fire broke out, 12 were safely evacuated and five were injured and taken to the hospital, where they were in stable condition.

In his instruction earlier, Xi stressed the urgent need to carry out search and rescue operations, properly handle the aftermath and provide support to those affected, identify the cause of the accident, and hold those responsible accountable in accordance with the law.

Noting that all regions and relevant departments must draw profound lessons from the incident, Xi demanded efforts to thoroughly identify and address all types of fire hazards, meticulously implement preventive measures, resolutely prevent major and serious accidents, and effectively safeguard people's lives and property.

Premier Li Qiang had said that efforts must be made to urgently search for and rescue trapped individuals, provide all-out medical treatment to the injured, handle the aftermath properly and strictly prevent secondary disasters.

In the wake of the fire, the Ministry of Emergency Management sent a team to the site to guide response efforts, while local authorities in Shandong mobilized staff from emergency management, fire and rescue, public security and health departments to carry out rescue operations.

jihaisheng@chinadaily.com.cn