A massive fire at the Cop30 venue in Brazil halted climate talks. [Photo: Reuters]
A massive fire broke out at the COP30 climate summit venue in Belém, Brazil, on Thursday. The incident forced a quick evacuation and halted ongoing negotiations. Delegates were preparing to push for a stronger global deal on climate action when the fire triggered the shutdown.
Officials said the fire started in the pavilion area of the conference centre. The Guardian reported that 13 people were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation. Authorities confirmed that the fire was brought under control within minutes, but the exact cause is still under investigation. Early information suggested that an electrical appliance, likely a microwave, may have sparked the fire, Reuters reported.
The United Nations released a statement soon after the incident. “Earlier today, a fire broke out in the blue zone of the Cop30 venue in Belém,” the statement said. “The fire department and UN security officers responded swiftly, and the fire was controlled in approximately six minutes. People were evacuated safely."
The statement added: “Thirteen individuals were treated on site for smoke inhalation. Their condition is being monitored, and appropriate medical support has been provided." Videos of flames and smoke rising from the venue spread across social media within minutes, drawing global attention.
The fire caused major disruption to the summit’s schedule. The Guardian reported that organisers cleared the entire venue shortly after 2 pm local time. Delegates were told the building might remain inaccessible for hours.
The incident hit at a critical moment. The COP30 presidency was preparing to draft a new version of the “mutirão” decision — a central plan that could include a roadmap for shifting away from fossil fuels. Key meetings with major negotiating blocs were in progress when the fire broke out.
The Alliance of Small Island States was scheduled to meet with the presidency at 4 pm. That meeting was cancelled. The European Union was due to hold a ministerial coordination meeting at 6 pm, followed by another meeting with the presidency at 9 pm. Those plans were also thrown into uncertainty.
With the summit expected to end on Friday, the disruption has created confusion about when the postponed talks will resume.
The incident occurred on the same day UN Secretary General António Guterres urged countries to reach a breakthrough deal at COP30. He called for clarity on the contentious issue of phasing out fossil fuels, a topic that has divided several negotiating groups.
The fire added fresh pressure on organisers and negotiators as they scrambled to regain momentum in the final hours of the summit.
The incident has renewed concerns about safety preparedness at large global conferences. Experts say climate summits now attract thousands of delegates, increasing pressure on infrastructure and emergency systems. The Cop30 fire may prompt organisers of future UN events to review electrical safety, crowd management, and emergency response protocols more closely.
