Fire disrupts negotiations at COP30 climate summit
Authorities say the fire that forced the evacuation of the COP30 climate summit site in Belem, Brazil, is under control, but it is unclear whether delegates will return immediately to resume talks.
Brazilian Tourism Minister Celso Sabino told reporters at the event area that the fire was under control and no one was injured, but he did not know whether the delegates would be able to return to the venue where the summit meetings were held on Thursday or Friday.
Summit organizers also confirmed that the fire was under control, adding that Brazilian fire officials had ordered the entire summit building to be evacuated.
The summit in the Amazon city was originally scheduled to wrap up on Friday but missed a deadline set on Wednesday to secure agreement among nearly 200 countries, including plans to phase out oil, gas and coal.
Developing countries are also pushing for a significant increase in climate adaptation financing from industrialized countries, arguing that stronger support is needed as they face worsening storms, droughts, wildfires and floods.
During the two-week period of the summit, the fire scare in an already lively place caused the ongoing negotiations within the venue to be interrupted.
While the police created a barrier to prevent anyone from approaching the area where the fire was reported, delegates, observers and journalists ran towards the exits with their belongings as the siren sounded.
TV footage showed flames and smoke inside the venue, a conference center on the site of a former airport.
The fire started near the China Pavilion, one of several pavilions set up for events on the sidelines of climate talks, Sabino told reporters.
Samuel Rubin, one of the managers of the entertainment and culture pavilion, said that the fire quickly spread to neighboring pavilions.
Nearby pavilions include most of the African pavilions, he said, and one is geared toward youth.
Para state governor Helder Barbalho told local news outlet G1 that the fire may have been caused by a generator malfunction or a short circuit in the cabin.
Since the summit began earlier this month, it has seen numerous protests demanding action on climate change and forest protection, and talks have occasionally been disrupted.
With AP and DPA
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