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Talks at the COP30 climate summit in Brazil have been disrupted after a fire broke out in the venue, triggering an evacuation just as negotiators were hunkering down to try to land a deal to strengthen international climate efforts.
Officials said the fire, which erupted at one of the country exhibition pavilions, had been brought under control with 13 people treated for smoke inhalation.
“Earlier today, a fire broke out in the Blue Zone of the COP30 venue in Belém. The fire department and UN security officers responded swiftly, and the fire was controlled in approximately six minutes. People were evacuated safely,” the organisers said in a statement.
“Thirteen individuals were treated on site for smoke inhalation. Their condition is being monitored, and appropriate medical support has been provided.”
Officials coordinating the summit announced that Brazilian fire authorities mandated a full evacuation of the summit’s facilities.
The summit in the Amazon city of Belém was initially scheduled to wrap up on Friday but it missed a self-imposed Wednesday deadline to secure agreement among the nearly 200 countries present on issues including plans to phase out oil, gas and coal.
Developing countries are also pushing for a substantial increase in climate adaptation finance from industrialised countries, arguing that stronger support is essential as they face worsening storms, droughts, wildfires and floods.
The fire scare occurred in what is already a hive of activity during the summit’s two-week run, interrupting ongoing negotiations inside the venue.
Television broadcasts depicted scenes of smoke and flames engulfing parts of the venue, which is a conference center situated on a site formerly used as an airport.
The sound of a siren prompted a swift exodus as delegates, observers, and journalists hurriedly gathered their belongings and rushed to the exits. Police formed a perimeter to ensure no one approached the area affected by the fire.
Brazil’s Tourism Minister, Celso Sabino, informed reporters that the blaze originated near the China Pavilion. This pavilion was one of several set up for side events linked to the ongoing climate discussions.
Brazil circulated a draft deal among governments on Thursday that did not include a roadmap on transitioning away from fossil fuels, two negotiators told Reuters, although the document is still being discussed.
Emissions from burning fossil fuels trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and are by far the biggest contributor to warming.
There are fewer than 48 hours until the scheduled end of the summit to find a consensus, which host nation Brazil has framed as a crucial step to ramping up international climate action and demonstrating that there is broad support to accelerate turning decades of promises and pledges from the COP summits into concrete action.
“One thing is clear, we are down to the wire, and the world is watching Belém,” United Nations secretary-general António Guterres said.