A fire broke out at the Cop30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, on Thursday, forcing an evacuation and disrupting negotiations just as delegates were working towards a deal. Thirteen people were treated for smoke inhalation, organisers confirmed.
The fire, which started in the pavilion area of the conference centre, was brought under control within six minutes. The cause is believed to be an electrical device, likely a microwave, according to the local fire department.
The entire venue was cleared shortly after 2pm local time, throwing a carefully choreographed series of meetings into confusion. The Cop30 presidency had been preparing a new draft text on a roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels, and key talks with negotiating groups were cancelled or delayed.
The disruption is likely to push the summit, scheduled to finish on Friday evening, into overtime. Earlier in the day, UN Secretary General António Guterres had urged delegates to reach a deal on phasing out fossil fuels.
