Fire traps journalists inside building housing Georgian TV station, staff say
The blaze erupted in the Delisi business centre in Tbilisi, with thick smoke spreading into the Formula television station's studios and newsroom.
A fire ignited in a Tbilisi business centre housing Georgian opposition TV channel Formula, disrupting broadcasting and trapping approximately 22 journalists within the smoke-filled newsroom, according to staff accounts. Thick smoke permeated the Formula studios and newsroom, making it perilous for staff to evacuate through the building's stairwells.
Sopho Vardiashvili, a TV Formula journalist, informed the Interpress news agency that 22 members of her team were stranded in the newsroom due to the smoke obstructing the stairwells. She stated that firefighters advised staying put, as the building's lifts had been disabled, and journalists attempting to flee down the stairs were forced to retreat due to reduced visibility.
Nino Zhizhilashvili, another TV Formula journalist, pleaded for immediate aid on Facebook, declaring that broadcasting had ceased and some colleagues were unable to escape the smoke. The exact number of casualties and the fire's origin remained undisclosed, as this story is unfolding and journalists are diligently working on additional updates.
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