- By Shubham Bajpai
- Fri, 21 Nov 2025 07:44 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Brazil COP30 Fire: At least 21 people were injured after a fire broke out at the venue of the UN COP30 Climate Summit in Brazil's Belem. The sudden fire forced thousands of people to run for safety.
The fire broke out at around 2 pm on Thursday (local time) at the 'Blue Zone', an area where all meetings, negotiations, country pavilions, media centre and offices of all high-profile dignitaries are housed, including the main plenary hall.
The injured were rushed to the hospitals and were under treatment. UN COP30 Presidency, which is organising the summit, and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) issued a joint statement on the incident, which read, "Thirteen individuals were treated on site for smoke inhalation.
Their condition is being monitored, and appropriate medical support has been provided," UN COP30 Presidency, which is organising the summit, and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) said in a joint statement.
According to news agency PTI, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was present at the venue and was promptly evacuated by the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) protection detail.
Indian Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on site
Indian delegation, headed by Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, was also present inside the Blue Zone when the fire broke out. A spokesperson of the ministry said that he and other officials safely exited the venue.
The joint statement added that the fire department and UN security officers responded swiftly, and the fire was controlled in approximately six minutes.
"People were evacuated safely. As a precaution, the Brazilian Government and the UNFCCC have jointly decided to temporarily close the Blue Zone while the fire department carries out a comprehensive safety assessment," it added.
The joint statement further requested the delegates to wait for official communication, which will be issued at 8 pm once the venue has been thoroughly evaluated and deemed fully safe.
The 'Green Zone', where various stalls and exhibitions are set to be organised, was not affected by the fire. It remains open with activities continuing as scheduled, the statement added.
The Summit would be timely concluded or not is a matter of concern for now, as day's remaining business were cancelled after the fire.
Meanwhile, UNDSS, in a 'Flash Report' to its members immediately after the incident, said that the fire quickly spread to decorative textiles covering the sides and roof of the structure.
"Security personnel immediately responded using fire extinguishers until firefighters arrived. The fire was fully controlled," it added.
(With PTI Inputs)