Davos evacuated as authorities hunt source of 'strange smell making people cough'
The conference centre at the World Economic Forum in Davos was evacuated amid reports of a strange smell making people cough in the venue.
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The Congress Center at the event in the Swiss ski resort removed delegates and staff while authorities hunted the source of the odour.
Emergency services were pictured entering the hall with fire crews and ambulances on site.
Reporters covering the conference said that the smell was making their area of the venue cough.
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Firefighters evacuated people from the main venue at the World Economic Forum in Davos. A White House official said the evacuation didn't affect President Trump. He left the Congress Centre at 9:14 pm local. I also saw emergency workers and a cluster of civilians outside a… https://t.co/BlyKqyhNvG
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) January 21, 2026
The source has since been reported as a small fire in a nearby cabin.
The smoke was said to have been causing the smell.
Delegates and staff are now back in the Congress Center, with no reports of injuries as a result of the flames.
A White House spokesperson has confirmed that President Trump, who gave a fiery keynote speech at the WEF earlier today, had already exited before the evacuation.