An unusual odour that caused coughing among attendees forced a precautionary evacuation at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Footage circulating online captures emergency responders leading people out of the Congress Centre
A fire scare sent ripples through the
World Economic Forum (WEF) on Wednesday evening as part of the Congress Centre—the main hub of the summit—was evacuated amid reports of smoke and a mysterious smell that caused some attendees to cough.
The alarm triggered a quick response from local firefighters and emergency crews, including specialised teams trained to handle smoke and hazardous conditions, who rushed to secure the area as world leaders and business executives were on site.
According to authorities, the situation was brought under control relatively quickly, and no injuries were reported. Swiss fire officials said their priority was safety, so part of the convention centre was evacuated “as a precaution.”
“The alarm has been fully contained, and the fire has been completely extinguished after evacuating part of the convention centre as a precaution,” the fire service said in an official statement.
The cause of the alarm and smell—which some said made them cough—is still under investigation, with crews checking vents and nearby structures to determine the source.
Watch the video here:
UPDATE: Firefighters have cleared the main venue at the World Economic Forum in Davos amid a reported smell causing coughing.
A White House official confirms the evacuation did not impact President Trump’s schedule. https://t.co/WH8DKABdxu pic.twitter.com/33Kf27jVYN
— GlobalTechtonic (@GlobalTechtonic) January 21, 2026
Note: Firstpost could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
Reporters describe tense moments
Journalists inside the venue described a sudden and tense evacuation. Italian journalist Lilli Gruber, who was preparing a live broadcast at the time, said everyone was ordered out quickly, leaving belongings behind.
“We are outside the Congress Centre, we have all been evacuated. We left all our things inside because there seems to be a fire in a hotel nearby. There are helicopters flying overhead, it’s full of firefighters,” she told local media.
Fox Business reporter Edward Lawrence also captured the unfolding scene and later confirmed on social media that the evacuation had ended.
“Fire crews in Davos checked it out and ended the evacuation. We are back for my live [report],” Lawrence wrote on X, noting that emergency teams were still trying to figure out what caused the smell.
Trump and other leaders safe
A White House official said US President Donald Trump, who had delivered a speech at the forum earlier in the day, was not impacted by the evacuation. Trump had left the Congress Centre before the alarm sounded, and there were no reports of a threat to his safety or that of other senior participants.
Despite the scare, the forum has continued with its packed schedule of high-level discussions on global trade, security and geopolitics.
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