A fire at the COP30 Blue Zone in Belém injured 21 people, prompting the evacuation of thousands and a six-hour shutdown for safety inspections.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres and India’s Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav were among those evacuated safely, along with delegates from over 190 countries.
The Blue Zone has reopened, but the directly affected pavilion area (Zone B) will remain closed for the rest of the summit, which ends Friday.
Fire at COP30 Venue in Brazil Injures 21; Thousands Evacuated
The Blue Zone has now been reinstated to full operational status. However, the pavilion area (Zone B), which was directly affected by the fire, will remain closed for the remainder of the conference, which concludes on Friday
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Summary
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A massive fire erupted at the main venue of the UN COP30 Climate Summit in Brazil, leaving 21 people injured and triggering the evacuation of thousands. The blaze broke out around 2 p.m. on Thursday in the “Blue Zone,” which houses all meetings, negotiations, country pavilions, the media center, and offices of high-profile dignitaries, including the main plenary hall, reports said.
“...according to updated data as of 6 p.m. this Thursday, 21 people have received medical care as a result of the fire that affected the Blue Zone of the event,” the Brazilian Ministry of Health said in a statement. “Patients were promptly assisted and 12 have already been discharged. The remaining individuals are receiving appropriate care in health facilities in Belém and in a designated referral unit for such cases.”
According to reports, people rushed toward exit gates as smoke spread through the venue. Authorities then shut down the complex for safety inspections and reopened it more than six hours later, at 8:40 p.m.
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“Brazilian authorities have restored all working conditions on the conference premises, secured the post-fire operating permit from the Fire Department, and formally returned the area to the UNFCCC,” the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) said in a message to participants.
Who Was Present at the Time?
Reports suggest UN Secretary-General António Guterres was at the venue and was promptly evacuated by the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS). India’s Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav was also inside the Blue Zone with the Indian delegation when the fire broke out. A ministry spokesperson said Yadav and all officials were safely evacuated, PTI reported.
Negotiators from more than 190 countries are attending the annual Conference of Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC. The COP30 Summit is being held in Belém, Brazil, from November 10–21.
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Safety Restored
The Blue Zone has now been reinstated to full operational status. However, the pavilion area (Zone B), which was directly affected by the fire, will remain closed for the remainder of the conference, which concludes on Friday.
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