A fire breaks out on a foreign-flagged cargo ship while it is docked for repairs at the Qingdao Beihai shipyard in Qingdao, eastern China. State broadcaster CCTV reports the blaze starts at about 11:15am on Thursday at the state-owned shipyard, but initially does not provide confirmed casualty totals.

CCTV and other state-linked reporting describe a major response effort. President Xi Jinping orders step-up search and rescue, along with a swift investigation into the cause and follow-up support for victims. Premier Li Qiang also directs emergency teams to focus on rescuing trapped people and treating the injured, while preventing secondary disasters.

Outlet accounts differ on the specific casualty numbers. The Free Press Journal, citing state media including CGTN, reports at least 20 deaths and also mentions people missing, while the South China Morning Post describes “heavy casualties” without stating figures. Both accounts place the incident in Shandong province and note that authorities mobilise teams for rescue and for investigation and safety reviews.