The COP30 climate summit in Brazil was disrupted on Thursday after a fire broke out in the venue, triggering an evacuation, as negotiators were about to land on a deal to address the climate crisis.
According to the organisers' statement, thirteen people were treated for smoke inhalation after the fire broke out in the pavilion area of the conference centre in Belém, Brazil.
The cause of the fire, which was brought under control within minutes, was being investigated but was believed to be an electrical device, probably a microwave, Reuters reported, citing the local fire department.
António Guterres, the UN secretary general, had appealed earlier in the day for a deal from the summit, as the talks revolved around the fiercely debated subject of weaning the world off fossil fuels.
The entire venue had to be cleared from shortly after 2 p.m. local time, and it was reported that it would take several hours before any delegates were allowed to return.
Notably, the incident threw a carefully choreographed series of meetings into confusion. The COP30 presidency was preparing a new draft text of the "mutirão" decision, a central plan of the hoped for outcome of the talks, potentially containing a commitment to draw up a roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels.
The presidency was holding a series of crunch meetings with the main negotiating groups.
Moreover, the Alliance of Small Island States had been due to meet the presidency shortly before 4 p.m., but that was cancelled.
