TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A massive fire has forced the evacuation of thousands of participants at the Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belem, Brazil, on Thursday. It occurred as flames engulfed a pavilion at the city's main convention center.
According to Anadolu, the fire broke out in a pavilion where over 50,000 diplomats, journalists, and activists were attending the global climate talks in the gateway city to the Amazon.
The fire occurred shortly before 02:30 p.m. local time in a tent located in the "Blue Zone," the official United Nations area housing national pavilions and negotiation rooms.
Social media footage showed participants fleeing from smoke and flames, while security personnel promptly instructed the evacuation of the entire area to prevent further risk.
Plumes of smoke quickly filled the central hall, where UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had delivered a speech just minutes earlier, while the fire consumed the roof and threatened surrounding buildings.
Firefighters from the nearest station moved swiftly and successfully contained the blaze within minutes of the emergency alarm sounding.
Brazil's Minister of Tourism Celso Sabino confirmed no reports of injuries among conference attendees or staff.
“There was a small fire here, which is possible at any large event," he told journalists, as reported by Al Jazeera. "This small fire could happen anywhere on planet Earth."
He added that the preliminary assumption pointed to an electrical short circuit as the likely cause of the fire, although an official investigation is still ongoing.
Organizers reported that the evacuation was "fast" and the fire could be extinguished within six minutes, leaving only minor damage.
Thirteen people were hospitalized for smoke inhalation, according to a joint statement from the UN and COP30 leaders.
The affected area, known as the Blue Zone, is expected to remain closed until Thursday night at 08:00 p.m. local time.
Although the primary cause for the blaze remains unclear, Helder Barbalho - the governor of the Para state, where the conference took place - informed GloboNews that authorities believe the incident was triggered by a generator failure or short circuit.
Barbalho reassured the public on social media that other areas in the COP30 conference zone continue to operate.
“We will find out what caused it, whether we can restart work here in the Blue Zone today or not,” he wrote. “The Green Zone is operating normally.”
Approximately an hour after the fire broke out, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which organized the conference, sent an email to participants stating that the local fire service would conduct a "full safety checks" at the venue.
They subsequently announced the continuous closure of the Blue Zone: "Please note that the premises are now under the authority of the Host Country and are no longer considered a Blue Zone."
COP30 Challenges
The Belem conference preparations were marred by logistical challenges, including limited infrastructure and soaring accommodation costs for thousands of international delegates.
The Blue Zone fire occurred a week after Brazil responded to UN concerns about security at COP30.
On November 13, Simon Stiell, the executive secretary of the UNFCCC, sent a letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his government, addressing various issues ranging from damaged doors to water leaks near lights.
On the same day, the Brazilian government issued a statement stating that "all UN requests have been met", including the relocation and addition of police forces between the Blue and Green Zones.
Dispelling concerns about the continuation of the event, Sabino assured reporters that incidents like this could occur in any country and do not threaten the overall conference.
"There is no possibility of canceling the summit, which is proving to be a success," he stressed, emphasizing the integrity of the climate discussion agenda.
The conference, held in the heart of the Amazon, was initially scheduled to conclude on Friday, November 21, 2025. However, negotiators failed to meet the deadline last Wednesday to agree on a roadmap for energy transition, the phasing out of fossil fuels, and a climate adaptation agreement.
Editor’s Choice: K-Pop Fans' Climate Campaign Draws Global Attention at COP30 in Brazil
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
