TBILISI, November 4 – A fire in the building housing Formula TV forced the government-critical channel to temporarily stop broadcasting Wednesday afternoon.
The fire started at the Delisi business center on Vazha-Pshavela Avenue shortly before 4 p.m., Interpressnews reported. Formula presenter Nino Zhizhilashvili initially said some employees could not get out because of the smoke, while emergency crews were already working at the scene.
Minutes later, Formula journalist Sopho Vardiashvili said 22 people were still inside the newsroom. Firefighters had reached them and told them to remain where they were because that was the safest option at the time.
The newsroom door was kept closed because of thick smoke on all sides. Elevators had been shut down, and the journalists had tried to leave by staircase but turned back because visibility was almost zero.
More than 15 fire engines were initially deployed as crews worked to contain the blaze. Smoke had spread into Formula’s studios and newsroom.
By 4:53 p.m., firefighters had completed the evacuation of Formula journalists and other employees. People on the 17th floor were brought down gradually using the stairs. Interpressnews reported that smoke had first been detected around the fifth floor.
The Emergency Management Service said shortly after 5 p.m. that the fire had been extinguished.
Service chief Teimuraz Mgebrishvili said around 150 firefighters and rescuers and 25 fire engines had been mobilized. He said no one was injured and everyone had been evacuated safely.
Mgebrishvili said the fire had spread through a shaft in the building and appeared to have originated on one of the lower floors, although he said he could not yet confirm the exact location of the fire source. Crews were continuing checks of the building after the blaze was put out.
