Belém, Brazil (EFE).- Firefighters on Thursday brought under control a blaze that broke out in the area hosting negotiation rooms at the United Nations Climate Summit (COP30) in Belém, forcing the full evacuation of participants, according to official sources.
The fire began around 2:30 pm local time in the so-called Blue Zone, the UN-administered section where country pavilions and meeting rooms are located.
Security teams immediately cordoned off the area and ordered dozens of attendees to exit through emergency routes, causing brief moments of tension, EFE observed.
Pará Governor Helder Barbalho and Brazil’s Tourism Minister Celso Sabino told reporters the blaze was contained within minutes and that no injuries were reported.
Preliminary information suggested the fire started in the India Pavilion, though officials stressed the cause and full extent of the damage remain unknown.
Officials rule out any impact on summit
Sabino said there was no scenario in which the climate summit would be interrupted.
“This is something that could happen anywhere in the world. There is no possibility of cancelling the summit, which has been a success. COP will end tomorrow as planned,” he told journalists.
The incident occurred during a crucial penultimate day of talks at COP30, as negotiators worked to make progress on climate adaptation and on roadmaps for phasing out fossil fuels and ending deforestation.
Just hours earlier, UN Secretary-General António Guterres held a press conference in the same Blue Zone, urging delegations to reach a “balanced agreement.”
Logistical challenges shadow Belém summit
The lead-up to COP30 was marked by significant logistical challenges in Belém, the gateway to the Brazilian Amazon, including a lack of infrastructure and high accommodation costs.
Once the summit got underway, the UN sent a letter to the Brazilian presidency expressing concern over infrastructure conditions in the negotiation areas and requesting increased security after an Indigenous protest broke forcibly into the venue.
The summit is scheduled to conclude on Friday. EFE
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