Report: unauthorised hot works, inadequate risk assessments blamed for fatal fire incident at Chinese shipyard

The workers attempted to extinguish the blaze, initially using only their gloved hands and then with an extinguisher, to no avail.

An immediate evacuation was then ordered. However, the arrangement of the scaffolding on the ship made evacuation difficult, and seven subcontractor employees became trapped on board as the fire continued to spread.

Fire and rescue teams arrived on-site later that same afternoon but only four of the seven workers who had become trapped were safely rescued. Tragically, the three remaining workers were already deceased by the time they were pulled off the ship throughout the following day.