China's State Council launches investigation into cargo ship fire in east China's Qingdao

BEIJING, Sept. 14 -- China's State Council has established a team to investigate a deadly cargo ship fire that occurred last Thursday in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, the Ministry of Emergency Management said on Monday.

The fire broke out when a foreign cargo ship was undergoing maintenance at China State Shipbuilding Corporation Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., leaving 25 dead and five injured.

The team is led by the Ministry of Emergency Management and includes the participation of authorities such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Public Security.

At its first plenary meeting on Monday afternoon, the team urged authorities to determine the cause of the accident as soon as possible, fully identify all responsibilities, and hold those responsible strictly accountable in accordance with the law.

Local governments, relevant departments and centrally administered state-owned enterprises should draw profound lessons from this accident, the meeting noted.

The meeting further called for thorough investigations and rectification of all types of fire hazards, as well as strengthened safety measures in key sectors, including hazardous chemicals, mining, transportation and construction, to resolutely prevent and contain major and serious accidents.

Following the incident in Qingdao, the Ministry of Emergency Management dispatched a work team to the site to guide rescue efforts, while provincial authorities in Shandong mobilized resources to carry out on-site response efforts.