Belem (Brazil): At least 13 people were injured in a fire which broke out at the main venue of the ongoing UN COP30 Climate Summit in Brazil’s Belem, forcing thousands of people to run for safety.
The fire broke out at around 2 pm on Thursday at the ‘Blue Zone’, where all meetings, negotiations, country pavilions, media centre and offices of all high-profile dignitaries are housed, including the main plenary hall.
As soon as news of the fire spread, people ran out of all exit gates for safety.
“There was a small fire here, which is possible at any large event,” he told journalists. “This small fire could happen anywhere on planet Earth.”
Organisers reported that the evacuation was “fast” and the fire was controlled within six minutes, leaving only minor damage.
Thirteen people were treated 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 8pm local time (23:00 GMT).
The cause of the fire remains unclear. But Helder Barbalho — the governor of the state of Para, where the summit is taking place — told the Brazilian channel GloboNews that authorities believe a generator failure or short circuit might have sparked the incident.
On social media, Barbalho assured the public that other parts of the COP30 conference zone continued to be in operation.
“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.”
Reports emerged about 2 pm local time (17:00 GMT) of flames in the Blue Zone pavilion, a restricted area for negotiators and accredited media.
Videos on social media showed scenes of panic and security officials ordering attendees to exit the venue.
