BELEM, Brazil — A fire briefly swept through temporary pavilions at the U.N. climate summit in Belem on Thursday, forcing the evacuation of the COP30 site and sending 13 people for treatment for smoke inhalation.
Organizers said firefighters brought the blaze under control in about six minutes, but authorities ordered the evacuation of the entire conference area and it was not immediately clear when sessions would resume.
Brazil’s Tourism Minister Celso Sabino said the fire began near the China Pavilion, one of several temporary structures used for sideline events. The flames spread quickly to neighboring stands, including parts of the Africa pavilions and a youth pavilion, according to Samuel Rubin, who helps run an entertainment and culture pavilion.
Video from the scene showed large flames consuming one of the canvas or fabric pavilions, which typically have three walls and a floor. Para state Gov. Helder Barbalho said a generator failure or a short circuit in a booth may have triggered the blaze.
Much of the summit venue was still under construction when the conference opened, with exposed beams, open plywood floors and metal-mesh corridors. Drilling and jackhammering were audible during a pre-summit event while workers in hardhats moved among unfinished, plastic-shrouded pavilions.
Volunteer Gabi Andrade, who had spent three weeks handling accreditations, said she saw black smoke at the Singapore pavilion after lunch and was led outside by a security guard as she cried and shouted “fire.” She said she worried about the impact on Brazil’s reputation after weeks of local preparations.