Emergency Evacuation at Australia's Parliament House Due to Fire (2026)

Australia's Parliament House was urgently evacuated due to a fire caused by an electrical fault. All visitors and staff were blocked from entering the building after alarms sounded just after 10 am, with the entire Senate wing evacuated. The ACT Emergency Services Agency confirmed a structure fire broke out in Parliament House's West Valve room at about 9:50 am. A small group of staff and reporters in the press gallery, which is based in the Senate wing, were initially held outside the main entrance before being taken to a designated evacuation point. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported so far.