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A fire broke out in a pavilion at the UN climate summit in Brazil on Thursday, triggering panic among delegates and briefly halting high-stakes negotiations as ministers attempted to resolve major disputes.
The blaze erupted inside the COP30 venue in Belém, prompting people to flee as smoke filled the corridors and shouts of “fire!” echoed through the area.
UN staff and security personnel rushed to extinguish the flames, which caused a hole in the roof of the pavilion.
Brazilian tourism minister Celso Sabino confirmed that the fire had been contained and that no injuries were reported.
The cause has yet to be determined.
The incident drew firefighters to the scene as smoke spread through the large tent structures hosting the conference on the edge of the Amazon, where tens of thousands of attendees have gathered.
Brazil’s COP30 organisers said fire and security teams responded swiftly and would continue monitoring the site.
The fire is believed to have started in one of the national pavilions inside the “blue zone” near the entrance. Light rain outside briefly lifted spirits among those waiting to re-enter the area.
The disruption came at a critical moment, with ministers engaged in delicate negotiations over fossil fuel transition, climate finance, and trade rules, just one day before the two-week summit was due to close.
Mauricio Lyrio, head of the Brazilian delegation, said he had to abandon an agreement-signing meeting because of the evacuation and doubted delegates would return to the site later in the day.
Nearly 200 nations have spent the past fortnight grappling with issues such as Brazil’s proposed “roadmap” for phasing out fossil fuels, concerns about weak emissions targets, and financing for developing countries.
Earlier on Thursday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged negotiators to find an “ambitious compromise,” warning that the world is closely following developments in Belém.
“Communities on the front lines are watching too,” he said, citing the devastation caused by floods, crop failures and the loss of livelihoods. He appealed to delegates to engage “in good faith” as the summit draws to a close on Friday evening.
