Pavilion Fire Forces Evacuation at COP30 Site in Belém; Grounds Reopen as Talks Prepare to Resume

The UN climate summit compound in Belém reopened Thursday evening after a pavilion fire earlier in the day interrupted negotiations and forced delegates to evacuate.

Organizers said the main conference area, where formal negotiations take place, reopened at 8:40pm (23:40 GMT) and that talks were scheduled to resume on Friday. The venue had been closed in the early afternoon after flames broke out and everyone on site was ordered to leave.

Brazil's Tourism Minister Celso Sabino said the blaze, which began shortly after 2pm, was quickly brought under control and that there were no fatalities. Organizers later confirmed that 21 people received medical attention — 19 for smoke inhalation and two for anxiety. Officials said the fire was extinguished with limited damage and was contained in roughly six minutes.

Video footage earlier showed flames consuming a pavilion in the section of the grounds that hosts national exhibits, with fire burning through the tented roof. The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined, and the affected area will remain cordoned off until the conference ends.

"Everyone was screaming to get out: fire, fire, in multiple languages," a pavilion worker said. "I was scared; people were practically running over each other."

Thousands who evacuated waited outside in the rain or sought shelter in nearby cafés, restaurants and a petrol station. Outside the immediate danger zone there was little sign of panic: delegates and staff generally moved in an orderly fashion, speaking under umbrellas or continuing to work while water was distributed to help with the tropical heat.

A quick but disruptive blaze

Organizers said the fire was brought under control swiftly, limiting physical damage to the site, but the interruption has logistical and diplomatic consequences. Brazil temporarily resumed oversight of the summit grounds following the incident while investigations into the cause continue.

Climate conference: a temporary global city

Held each year in a different country, the UN Climate Change Conference turns the host city into a temporary microcosm of the world, with national pavilions, large plenary halls, negotiation rooms, press centres and dining areas. This year's summit in Belém, on the edge of the Amazon rainforest, has drawn tens of thousands of participants and faced heavy tropical rains that have already tested the temporary infrastructure.

Negotiations enter a critical phase

The incident raises questions about the summit's final hours as negotiators press to reach a global agreement, particularly on plans to phase out the use of coal, oil and gas. Delegates have entered a make-or-break phase after two weeks of talks; the conference was scheduled to end Friday evening but delays are possible. European countries have pushed for stronger commitments while some states remain obstructive, and any final decision will require unanimity among parties.

Organizers say negotiations are set to resume, but the disruption and the cordoned-off zone are likely to complicate logistics and the delicate final-stage discussions.