Fire prompts evacuations at UN climate talks in Brazil, but officials say no one hurt

A sudden fire erupted at the venue of the U.N. climate talks in Belem, Brazil, on Thursday, leading to swift evacuations on the penultimate day of the conference. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, according to officials. The blaze, which originated near the China pavilion, rapidly spread to adjacent structures, including several Africa pavilions and a youth-focused pavilion. Organizers confirmed that the fire was quickly brought under control, with firefighters and security teams responding promptly and maintaining vigilance at the site. Samuel Rubin, an organizer of an entertainment and culture pavilion, recounted witnessing flames a few pavilions away, prompting his team and others to use fire extinguishers as smoke filled the area. The fire also affected a health and sciences pavilion, as reported by technical personnel Victoria Martins and Júlia Aguiar. Journalists, including those from the Associated Press, were evacuated from the media center as a precaution. The incident, while disruptive, did not derail the conference’s proceedings, which are set to conclude on Friday.