No deaths or injuries were immediately reported from the blast, despite footage showing a ball of flames engulfing much of the ship's deck and spewing debris high into the air.
The explosion occurred at around 1:40 pm (0540 GMT) on the bow of the YM Mobility, moored at Ningbo-Zhoushan port in Zhejiang province, state news agency Xinhua reported.
"An investigation is underway" to determine the cause, it said.
Another video clip showed red fire engines spraying jets of water onto the charred vessel as black smoke billowed into the sky.
State broadcaster CCTV said the fire had been extinguished by 5:00 pm and that the local coast guard had been brought in to assist with the response.
"After preliminary verification, all dock workers and vessel staff are safe and there are no casualties," CCTV reported.
The vast Ningbo-Zhoushan port is one of the world's busiest in terms of cargo throughput.
Industrial accidents occur frequently in China due to poor safety training and lax protocols.
Pavilion collapse kills six in eastern China: state media
Beijing (AFP) Aug 12, 2024 - Six people were killed and 10 were injured when a lightning strike caused a park pavilion to collapse in eastern China, state media said Monday.
The accident took place in the city of Changzhou in Jiangsu province on Sunday, state news agency Xinhua said.
The 10 injured people were in stable condition and an investigation into the accident was being carried out, state broadcaster CCTV said.
China is enduring a summer of extreme weather, with heavy rains across the east and south, and much of the north sweltering in successive heat waves.
Last month, heavy rain in the northern province of Shaanxi caused a highway bridge to collapse, killing at least 38 people.
Climate change, which scientists say is exacerbated by greenhouse gas emissions, is making these types of extreme weather phenomena more frequent and more intense.
Related Links
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
A world of storm and tempest
When the Earth Quakes
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
