A fire aboard a foreign-flagged cargo ship undergoing repair at Beihai Shipbuilding in Qingdao, Shandong province, killed 25 people on the morning of the 10th. Forty-two people were working on the vessel at the time.

According to local authorities the fire began at about 11.15am and was extinguished around 2.30pm. Twelve people were evacuated safely and five were taken to hospital with injuries. The remaining 25 were initially unaccounted for and were all located by 7.24pm the same day, none showing vital signs.

The search was difficult. Rescuers had to descend into the cargo holds through narrow hatches, and conditions inside the ship were hot and slippery, making access hard.

Shandong province and the Qingdao city government activated emergency arrangements immediately after the accident, deploying emergency management, fire and rescue, public security and health departments. The vessel had been berthed at the yard for repairs.

China's leadership directed that the search for those unaccounted for be pressed, that follow-up work and support for families be handled properly, and that the cause be established quickly with responsibility pursued under the law.

Authorities also called for a thorough inspection and rectification of fire hazards and for detailed preventive measures to forestall serious accidents.

Ship-repair yards are classed as high-risk workplaces because welding and coating are often carried out simultaneously in enclosed spaces. The inquiry is expected to focus on the point of ignition and the work under way at the time.