Fire breaks out at Formula TV station in Tbilisi

On Wednesday, November 4, 2026, a fire broke out in a business center in Tbilisi, Georgia, which houses the opposition television station Formula. The incident forced the station to halt its broadcasts. According to journalist Sopho Vardiashvili, 22 staff members were trapped in the newsroom as smoke filled the building's stairwells, rendering the emergency exits inaccessible. Elevators were also rendered inoperable, and initial attempts by journalists to evacuate via the stairs were aborted due to zero visibility.

Firefighters arrived at the scene and instructed the trapped staff to remain inside the newsroom and keep the doors closed to protect themselves from the thick smoke. Nino Zhizilashvili, another journalist from the station, posted a call for urgent assistance on social media platforms as the situation unfolded. At the time of the reports, there was no information regarding potential casualties or the origin of the fire. Authorities are currently managing the incident, and staff members are waiting for further instructions from emergency response teams while the building remains filled with smoke.