An accidental fire at the COP30 climate summit in Belem, Brazil, disrupted the proceedings on the final day. The tourism minister of the country, Celso Sabino, said it had been extinguished without any major injuries.
According to sources, the alleged fire incident at the venue forced organisers to empty the site on Thursday. Meanwhile, a circular note was issued to inform people that a fire incident in Zone B had occurred, with directions asking them to immediately "evacuate the venue".
Police officers formed up into lines to restrict people from moving towards the affected area. "Firefighters and security teams responded promptly and continue to monitor the site," Brazil's COP30 organisers said in a statement. The site reopened at 8 pm local time (11 pm GMT), the organisers said, adding that there had been "limited damage".
The smoke caused issues at the site, and 13 people required immediate medical attention as a result of inhalation. Officials have confirmed that the site reopened on Thursday, but negotiations will resume on Friday morning.
The two-week-long global climate summit, drawing in tens of thousands of people and diplomats from around the world, is reaching its final phase on Friday. The nominal last day is Friday, but in past years, extensions seeking a consensus on a pledge or pledges among various national governments have been common.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had urged negotiators to "engage in good faith" and seek an "ambitious compromise" in comments earlier on Thursday. "The world is watching Belem," said someone from the venue. "Communities on the frontline are watching, too — counting flooded homes, failed harvests, and lost livelihoods, and asking, How much more must we suffer?"
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