Police Investigating Cause of Fire at Rustavi 2 TV Building



Fire at Rustavi 2 TV storage room, July 27, 2017. Photo: screengrab from Rustavi 2 TV

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia is investigating the cause of a fire that broke out in one of the buildings of Rustavi 2 TV, one of Georgia’s most-watched television channels.



The probe was launched under article 187 of the Criminal Code, dealing with property damage and destruction committed through arson, a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term of three to five years.



Fire flared up in the storage room of Rustavi 2 TV shortly before midnight on July 26, suspending the television broadcasting for few minutes.



Rustavi 2 TV viewers and politicians soon gathered at the TV building, including the mayoral candidates – UNM’s Zaal Udumashvili, European Georgia’s Elene Khoshtaria and independent candidate Aleko Elisashvili.



The Emergency Management Agency of the Internal Affairs Ministry reported late night on July 27 that the blaze was promptly extinguished by six crews of firefighters. “The fire spread to only 40 square meters out of a storage room of 300-400 square meters,” the Agency said.



According to Rustavi 2 TV, the fire damaged “part of the computer equipment, studio decorations, lighting and electric devices.” The company also said that it hired an audit company for determining the exact amount of financial loss.