Major Blaze Erupts at Critical UN Climate Summit
A significant fire broke out at the Cop30 UN climate change conference in Belem, Brazil, on Thursday, forcing the evacuation of several buildings and leaving 13 people requiring treatment for smoke inhalation. The incident occurred at a critical juncture in the negotiations, with just two scheduled days remaining for nearly 200 countries to reach a major agreement.
Chaos and Evacuation as Flames Spread
The fire spread rapidly through pavilions in the conference's Blue Zone, an area used by participating countries and groups to showcase their climate efforts. Emergency crews responded swiftly, battling visible flames and billowing black smoke. An eyewitness described a scene of panic as security guards directed people to exits.
Brazil's Tourism Minister, Celso Sabino, stated that the blaze started near the China Pavilion. Samuel Rubin, an official at a nearby entertainment and culture pavilion, confirmed the fire quickly spread to neighbouring structures, including several Africa pavilions and a youth-focused pavilion.
Gabi Andrade, a Cop30 volunteer from Belem, recounted the moment the fire started. "I had just got off my lunch break and was exploring the Singapore pavilion when I saw black smoke," she said. "A security guard grabbed my hand and showed me to the exit as I cried and screamed 'fire'."
Investigations and Impact on High-Stakes Talks
The local fire department is investigating the cause but suggested it was likely sparked by electrical equipment, such as a microwave. Other officials, including Para state governor Helder Barbalho, pointed to a potential generator failure or short circuit in a booth. Observers cited an electrical overload in the pavilion area as the cause.
Organisers confirmed the fire was controlled in approximately six minutes and that all individuals were evacuated safely. The 13 affected people were treated on site, with their condition being monitored. By 8.40pm local time, the negotiation area was reinstated. However, fire officials ordered the entire site evacuated for safety checks, and the affected area will remain isolated for the rest of the conference.
The disruption comes at a highly sensitive time. Just hours before the fire, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had urged countries to compromise, stating, "We are down to the wire and the world is watching Belem." The host nation had already missed a self-imposed deadline to wrap up initial deals on Wednesday evening.
Viliami Vainga Tone of the Tonga delegation expressed his disappointment, calling time "the most precious resource at Cop." He remained optimistic, however, noting, "We have to keep up our optimism. There is always tomorrow, if not the remainder of today."
The fire has intensified concerns over the already difficult task of striking a deal acceptable to all 190 countries, with contentious issues like fossil fuel phase-out and climate finance still on the table.
