A massive fire broke out aboard the decommissioned Soviet-era aircraft carrier "Minsk" on Friday while it was docked at a shipyard near Nantong, China.
Battled the Inferno for Hours
According to Tag24 the ship, which was being converted into a military-themed amusement park, suffered extensive damage in the blaze, raising doubts about whether it can be salvaged.
The fire erupted late in the day, quickly spreading through the fourth and fifth decks and eventually reaching large portions of the flight deck. Dramatic images show thick smoke and flames engulfing the nearly 900-foot-long vessel.
Firefighters battled the inferno for hours, finally bringing it under control by Saturday. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
A Militairy Themed Amusement Park
Preliminary reports suggest the fire originated below deck, likely caused by improper welding work.
The extent of the damage is severe, with radar and communication equipment destroyed, the control tower heavily damaged, and parts of the ship’s structure warped by the heat.
The "Minsk" was originally commissioned by the Soviet Navy in 1978 and served as a symbol of Soviet military prowess. After being decommissioned in 1993, it was sold to a South Korean company and later ended up in China, where it was transformed into a military-themed amusement park in 2000.
However, the park closed in 2008, and the ship has been anchored near Nantong since 2017, awaiting further renovations.
