{
  "id": 6739551,
  "title": "Death toll from cargo ship fire in China rises to 25 – state media",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/death-toll-from-cargo-ship-fire-in-china-rises-to-25-state-media",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-11T09:27:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hong Kong Free Press",
    "slug": "hong-kong-free-press",
    "url": "https://hongkongfp.com/2026/09/11/death-toll-from-cargo-ship-fire-in-china-rises-to-25-state-media/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The death toll from a fire on a foreign-flagged cargo ship docked in a Chinese port has increased to 25, according to state media. The fire broke out on Thursday at Qingdao’s port, a major international maritime hub. The bulk carrier, the Ocean Melody, had 42 people on board when the fire started. Seventeen of those aboard were evacuated, including five who sustained injuries. However, by Thursday evening, all 25 people who were previously listed as missing had been found, but none showed signs of life. State news agency Xinhua reported that the fire began during the ship’s port call for maintenance around 11:15 am on Thursday. Although the cause of the fire has not been specified, witnesses reported seeing thick smoke from the ship without any visible fire or explosion. Qingdao, the hometown of Tsingtao beer, is a major international maritime port connected to over 700 ports in more than 180 countries and regions. President Xi Jinping called for a thorough investigation and strict accountability for those responsible, emphasizing the need to learn from this incident and address all types of fire hazards.",
  "summary": "The death toll from a fire that erupted on Thursday on a foreign-flagged cargo ship docked in a Chinese port has risen to 25, including five people who had been listed as missing, state media said. The bulk carrier, moored in the eastern shipping hub of Qingdao, had 42 people on board when the fire […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn",
        "title": "Death toll from cargo ship fire in China rises to 25: state media",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/death-toll-from-cargo-ship-fire-in-china-rises-to-25-state-media",
        "published": "2026-09-10T13:11:16.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hong Kong Free Press",
        "title": "Death toll from cargo ship fire in China rises to 25 – state media",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/death-toll-from-cargo-ship-fire-in-china-rises-to-25-state-media-6740753",
        "published": "2026-09-11T09:27:36.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}