A fire tore through a business centre in the Georgian capital on Wednesday, trapping more than twenty journalists inside the newsroom of an opposition television station and forcing the channel off air. The blaze erupted in the Delisi business centre in Tbilisi, sending thick smoke into the studios and editorial offices of TV Formula, a broadcaster known for its critical coverage of the ruling party.
Staff inside the building described a chaotic scene as smoke quickly filled corridors and stairwells, cutting off escape routes. Sopho Vardiashvili, a journalist with TV Formula, told the Interpress news agency that 22 colleagues were stranded in the newsroom. “We are 22 people in the newsroom. For now, we are safe,” she said. “Firefighters came up and told us this was the safest place to stay. We have shut the door because there is heavy smoke everywhere.”
The building’s lifts had been switched off, and those who attempted to flee down the stairs were forced back by poor visibility, Vardiashvili added. Another TV Formula journalist, Nino Zhizhilashvili, posted an urgent appeal on Facebook, writing: “We have stopped broadcasting. Some of our team cannot get out because of the smoke.”
Uncertainty over casualties and cause
There was no immediate information about injuries or the origin of the fire. Emergency services were on the scene, but the full extent of the damage and any potential casualties remained unclear as rescue efforts continued. The incident has raised concerns about safety standards in commercial buildings across Tbilisi, a city that has seen rapid construction in recent years.
TV Formula has been a prominent voice in Georgia’s polarized media landscape, often clashing with the government of Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and the ruling Georgian Dream party. The channel has faced repeated pressure, including cyberattacks and legal challenges, which critics say are part of a broader crackdown on independent media in the country. Wednesday’s fire adds a new layer of urgency to those concerns, though there is no evidence yet that the blaze was deliberately set.
The incident comes as Georgia grapples with political tensions ahead of parliamentary elections, and it has drawn attention from international observers. The European Union has repeatedly called on Tbilisi to uphold media freedom, and the bloc’s enlargement report earlier this year noted a deterioration in the media environment. The fire at TV Formula is likely to reinforce those warnings, even as the immediate focus remains on the safety of the trapped staff.
Local journalists and civil society groups quickly mobilised, with some offering assistance and others calling for a transparent investigation. The Georgian Public Broadcaster reported that fire crews had reached the upper floors, but access was hampered by the dense smoke. By late afternoon, there were unconfirmed reports that some staff had been evacuated, but the situation remained fluid.
The Delisi business centre is a mixed-use complex in a busy district of Tbilisi, housing offices, retail outlets, and media companies. Fire safety regulations in Georgia have improved since the Soviet era, but enforcement has been inconsistent, and incidents like this highlight the risks faced by workers in older or poorly maintained buildings.
For the journalists inside, the ordeal was a stark reminder of the dangers of their profession, even when covering a story that is not a war zone. “We are safe for now, but we don’t know how long we can stay here,” Vardiashvili said, her voice tense. The channel’s website went dark shortly after the fire began, and its social media feeds fell silent, leaving viewers and colleagues anxiously awaiting news.
As the rescue operation continued, the broader implications for media freedom in Georgia were already being debated. The country has been a focal point of European attention, with the EU granting it candidate status in 2023, but progress on democratic reforms has been slow. The fire at TV Formula is a reminder that independent journalism in the region remains fragile, and that the safety of journalists is a fundamental test of democratic health.
European Pulse will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as more information becomes available. In the meantime, the thoughts of the continent are with the trapped journalists and their families.
