A fire at a business center in Tbilisi forced the government-critical channel Formula TV off air on 4 November. All of the channel’s staff were evacuated from the building, and the fire has since been extinguished.
Key points
- The fire broke out shortly before 4 p.m. at the Delisi business center on Vazha-Pshavela Avenue, where Formula TV is based.
- It reportedly started on the lower floors, and smoke spread to the upper floors that house the television station.
- Formula TV suspended its broadcasting, and rescue personnel escorted staff out of the building through the stairwell in groups of four.
- Georgia’s Emergency Management Service said shortly after 5 p.m. that the fire had been extinguished. The cause had not been announced.
What happened
Firefighting and rescue units were sent to the scene, and local media reported that more than 15 fire engines were working at the site. Smoke was first detected around the fifth floor and spread upward, leaving some people in the building unable to leave because of heavy smoke.
According to Formula TV journalist Sopo Vardiashvili, the channel’s 22 staff members remained in the newsroom, where rescue personnel had advised them that staying was the safest option. She told TV Pirveli they were waiting for further instructions from the rescue teams. Formula TV presenter Nino Zhizhilashvili appealed to the authorities for help on social media, writing that some of the team could not leave the building because of the smoke.
Formula TV host Irakli Kiknavelidze later confirmed to TV Pirveli that all employees had been evacuated, escorted down by fire and rescue personnel in groups of four. Formula TV also confirmed that the fire had been put out.
What is not yet known
The cause of the fire had not been announced when this article was published, and there was no official statement on whether an investigation had been opened. This article will be updated if the authorities or the building’s management release further details.
About Formula TV
Formula TV is a Tbilisi-based television channel that is critical of the government and widely described as opposition-leaning.
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