A fire broke out in the venue of the Cop30 climate summit in Brazil just as negotiators were on the cusp of securing a landmark deal to strengthen global efforts to combat climate change. The blaze, which was brought under control within minutes, forced an evacuation and left 13 people treated for smoke inhalation at the scene.
The cause of the fire is believed to be an electrical device, possibly a microwave, according to officials. However, an investigation into the incident has yet to confirm the exact cause.
The disruption came just as UN Secretary-General António Guterres was appealing for a deal from the summit, calling on world leaders to provide clarity on their commitment to abandoning fossil fuels. The entire venue had to be cleared shortly after 2pm local time, with delegates facing an uncertain wait of several hours before they could return.
The fire has thrown a major wrench into the carefully choreographed series of meetings that were supposed to lead to a breakthrough in the talks. The Alliance of Small Island States and the EU were due to participate in key negotiations, but their schedules were thrown into chaos by the incident.
As a result, the talks are now likely to run well into overtime, with many experts warning that it will be impossible to stick to the original timetable. With just hours left on Friday evening to reach an agreement, the future of Cop30 hangs precariously in the balance.
The cause of the fire is believed to be an electrical device, possibly a microwave, according to officials. However, an investigation into the incident has yet to confirm the exact cause.
The disruption came just as UN Secretary-General António Guterres was appealing for a deal from the summit, calling on world leaders to provide clarity on their commitment to abandoning fossil fuels. The entire venue had to be cleared shortly after 2pm local time, with delegates facing an uncertain wait of several hours before they could return.
The fire has thrown a major wrench into the carefully choreographed series of meetings that were supposed to lead to a breakthrough in the talks. The Alliance of Small Island States and the EU were due to participate in key negotiations, but their schedules were thrown into chaos by the incident.
As a result, the talks are now likely to run well into overtime, with many experts warning that it will be impossible to stick to the original timetable. With just hours left on Friday evening to reach an agreement, the future of Cop30 hangs precariously in the balance.
Oh man, can't believe this is happening at COP30... I was actually watching that live stream last night and it looked like everything was going smoothly 
. Now this fire breaks out and it's like the whole thing comes crashing down 
. 13 people treated for smoke inhalation? That's just crazy 
. And to think they were on the verge of getting something done... now I'm not sure if we're gonna see any real progress at all 
. I mean, I know these things happen but still... it's like the universe is messing with us right now 
. Can't wait to see how this drama plays out over the weekend 
.
can you believe this?! first they come for us to switch to renewable energy and now some idiot sets fire to the place 
what's next? gonna burn down the whole planet? 
anyway, this is just another setback for climate talks and i'm getting frustrated 
we need world leaders to step up their game and stop playing games 
Also, 13 people treated for smoke inhalation? That's alarming. What kind of electrical device is even being used in a climate summit venue?! And what about the investigation? Need to get to the bottom of this ASAP. Sources, please! 
I mean I know fires are bad but come on! You'd think with all that high-stakes negotiating going down, some basic precautions would be taken 
. Like, an electrical device just chillin' in the venue? How did nobody notice that thing? 
And now we're stuck in overtime because of it... like, what even is the point of having a summit if you can't get anything done on time? 
.
. I mean, can you imagine if we'd finally reached an agreement to phase out fossil fuels? That would be, like, the best thing ever for our planet 
... and now they're gonna have to scramble to get everything back on track? it's just so chaotic. and what if the cause of the fire was actually something more sinister than just an electrical device? like, what if it was a deliberate act to sabotage the whole thing? wouldn't that be just the worst? 
. And of all the people who should be at COP30, the EU and Alliance of Small Island States are supposed to be key players in these talks! It's frustrating when things get derailed like this 
. I guess we'll just have to wait and see if anyone can salvage what's left of the deal... 
. I'm really worried about how this is gonna affect the talks and if they'll be able to get anything done on Friday. The whole thing feels so tense already 
. The talks are already going overtime as it is, but now they're basically throwing caution to the wind. Let's just hope it doesn't all go up in flames (pun intended) 
anyway, i feel bad for all those people who had to evacuate their bags and everything... hopefully they can get back on track soon 
. Can't help but wonder if it's more than just an electrical device that started the fire 
. The timing couldn't be worse, now they're stuck with a last-minute push 
hopefully they get to the bottom of this and we don't have to wait even longer for action on this critical issue