Belem, Brazil — A fire tore through several temporary pavilions at the COP30 climate summit on Thursday, prompting organizers to evacuate the conference site on the penultimate day. The blaze was reported brought under control in about six minutes; 13 people were treated for smoke inhalation. Officials ordered the grounds cleared and said it was unclear when sessions would resume.
Brazil’s Tourism Minister Celso Sabino said the fire began near the China Pavilion, one of several temporary side-event structures. Flames spread quickly to adjacent tents, including several Africa pavilions and a youth pavilion, Samuel Rubin — who helps run an entertainment and culture pavilion — said. Video circulating from the site showed large flames engulfing one of the fabric pavilions, typically three-walled reinforced canvas structures with floors.
Para state Gov. Helder Barbalho said a generator failure or a short circuit in a booth may have sparked the blaze. Much of the summit venue in Belem had remained under construction up to the opening, with exposed beams, open plywood floors and partially finished corridors; organizers acknowledged that drilling and jackhammering were audible during a pre-summit event when leaders were speaking.
Volunteer Gabi Andrade, who had been working accreditation for three weeks, said she was visiting the Singapore pavilion when she saw black smoke. A security guard led her to an exit as she cried and shouted ‘fire,’ she said. Andrade expressed concern about the impact on Brazil’s reputation as host, saying, ‘It’s so sad for us. We all worked so hard.’
Organizers have not provided a timeline for when meetings and side events would resume as recovery and safety checks continued at the site.