Blaze sweeps COP30 venue in Belem, leaving 21 hurt amid chaos, evacuation

A sweeping blaze tore through the heart of the UN COP30 Climate Summit in Brazil’s Belem, injuring at least 21 people and plunging one of the world’s most crucial environmental gatherings into chaos.

The fire erupted around 2 pm on Thursday inside the sprawling Blue Zone — the summit’s nerve centre, home to high-stakes negotiations, country pavilions, media rooms, and the main plenary hall — sending thousands fleeing as thick black smoke curled into the Amazon sky.

Panic rippled through the venue as delegates, journalists, and officials rushed toward exit gates, many coughing from smoke inhalation. According to Brazil’s Ministry of Health, 19 of the injured were treated for breathing difficulties and two for anxiety, with none suffering burns. Twelve have already been discharged, while others continue to receive care under the watch of municipal, state, and federal medical teams.

Among those swiftly evacuated were UN secretary-general António Guterres and India’s environment minister Bhupender Yadav, both present in the Blue Zone when the incident unfolded. UNDSS personnel guided an orderly evacuation as firefighters battled flames that had quickly spread across decorative textiles lining the massive temporary structure. The fire was brought under control in about six minutes.

For hours, the venue fell silent. The host government took temporary command of the site, which ceased to be a UN zone as firefighters combed through the charred pavilion area. Heavy rains that lashed the open grounds added to the tumult as thousands of delegates waited outside.

By 8:40 pm, after a thorough safety assessment, Brazilian authorities handed back the site to the UNFCCC, declaring it secure. The Blue Zone reopened to participants — except for the pavilion area, now sealed off for the remainder of the summit. Plenary sessions were postponed, deepening concerns over whether negotiators could still craft a final roadmap before Friday’s scheduled conclusion.

Yet in a joint statement, the COP30 Presidency and the UNFCCC struck a determined tone, urging delegates to return with “solidarity and resolve” to complete the work still unfinished. The Green Zone, home to exhibitions and public events, remained untouched and continued its activities.

What began as a towering plume of smoke has now become a test of endurance and unity for a summit tasked with charting the planet’s climate future. As more than 190 nations regroup in Belem, the urgency of their mission feels sharper than ever — piercing even through the residue of fire and rain.

With PTI inputs