Quick as Fire: Misinformation Becomes a Political Weapon Over the Fire at COP30

By Bruno Fonseca

Collaboration: Isabel Seta, Giovana Girardi

Translated by Diego Lopes/Verso Tradutores

“Fire in one of the pavilions at COP30 in Belém-PA. Could this be the ‘response’ to the demonic statue gifted by China for COP30?” This was one of the posts published this Thursday, November 20th, by profiles on X/Twitter after the fire that occurred in a pavilion in the Blue Zone at the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference.

As reported by Agência Pública and several other news outlets, around 2:15 PM this Thursday, a fire broke out at the East African Community stand in the Africa Pavilion area. There were no injuries, and the cause of the fire is still being investigated. The resumption of activities in the Blue Zone has not yet been announced at the time of publication.

The Pública reporter, who was at the Conference at the time of the fire, managed to get out, but did not hear any emergency sirens. “There was no evacuation warning; we were the ones who started to organize ourselves. It was civilians who grabbed the fire extinguishers and tried to put out the fire,” said Marcelo Rocha, executive director of the Ayika Institute, which was scheduled to present in the adjacent pavilion at the time of the fire.

Although the fire was reported at the East African Community stand in the African Pavilion area, several profiles posted that the situation occurred in the Chinese pavilion. An article on the Gazeta do Povo website stated that the fire occurred “near a Chinese exhibition stand.” “BOLSONARO IS RIGHT. CHINA PAVILION!!!!!”, posted a satirical profile on X/Twitter.

Posts containing misinformation about China’s role in the COP have been circulating after the country gifted Brazil with a statue that blends elements of the Chinese dragon. Religious profiles have criticized the artwork, titled “Guardian Spirit Dragon-Jaguar.” Apostle Estevam Hernandes, from the Renascer church, wrote that “the horned dragon is the biblical symbol of deception and power contrary to God” and that the work suggests “a fusion of national identity with values that do not reflect our Christian tradition.”

“This is literally the official guardian spirit of the COP30 climate summit. It was a gift from the CCP regime to Brazil,” posted another profile on X/Twitter, associating the fire with the relationship with China. “Fire in one of the COP30 pavilions in Belém-PA (November 20, 2025). Could this be the “response” to the demonic statue gifted by China for COP30?” they wrote.

Fire: what is known

At 2:58 PM, after the fire, the COP organization issued a statement informing that the Blue Zone had been handed over to the host country’s responsibility. “The host country’s fire chief ordered the evacuation of the entire site. The Fire Department will conduct full safety checks and should provide an update at 4 PM. Please note that the site is now under the authority of the host country and is no longer considered a Blue Zone,” the statement read.

The news report questioned the organization about the causes of the fire and about evacuation alarms, but has not yet received a response.

The Minister of Tourism, Celso Sabino, spoke between 3 pm and 4 pm, informing that the fire had been controlled, but that the resumption of activities in the pavilion would still be announced. He stated that there were no injuries.

In the late afternoon, the COP presidency issued a statement saying that “the fire was brought under control in approximately six minutes” and that “13 individuals were treated on site for smoke inhalation. Their health conditions continue to be monitored and appropriate medical support has been provided.” The statement also said that “as a precautionary measure, the Brazilian Government and the UNFCCC have jointly decided to temporarily close the Blue Zone while the Fire Department conducts a full safety assessment.”

A new official announcement was scheduled for 8 p.m. The Green Zone remained open with activities continuing as scheduled, according to the event presidency.

This report was produced by Agência Pública, through the Collaborative Socio-environmental Coverage of COP 30. Read the original report at https://apublica.org/nota/rapido-como-o-fogo-desinformacao-vira-arma-politica-sobre-incendio-na-cop30/