Blaze destroys TV studio, no casualities

MUMBAI, March 10: The entire office and studio of a television company at Andheri were reduced to rubble in a fire last night. There were...

MUMBAI, March 10: The entire office and studio of a television company at Andheri were reduced to rubble in a fire last night. There were no casualties in the blaze, which raged for 13 hours and was doused only this afternoon, but the studio, belonging to the Inhouse Production Private Limited, has lost property worth crores of rupees.

According to the Fire Brigade, a telephone operator on duty at the studio, located near Monginis Bakery at Veera Desai Road, Andheri west, noticed the fire soon after it broke out at around 11.10 pm. At the time, four security guards and five production assistants were in the studio.

As soon as the operator alerted the security staff, there was a blast in the studio, and the staff members were evacuated. The TV company occupies the ground and first floors of the four-storied building.

Although the exact cause of fire is not known, it was reportedly sparked off by a short circuit. Cassettes, stage, electric installations, equipment used in recording, lighting, editing,shooting and dubbing equipment, control panels, televisons, air-conditioners and computers were destroyed in the blaze. A shooting floor, two edit suites, and a recording and dubbing studio were also damaged. Eight fire engines and six water tankers managed to douse the flames only by 12.30 pm today.

Inhouse is owned by one Sudesh Iyer, and has a staff of 70. The company has four shows on air: Movers and Shakers, Star Yaar Kalakar and Harmony on Sony TV and Commando on Zee TV. The sets of Star Yaar8230; which were in place for a shooting schedule were completely gutted.

However, Movers and Shakers escaped as the show was being shot at a Sony Entertainment TV studio nearby.

In House CEO Shailesh Dave told Express Newsline, 8220;We have spoken to Sony and Zee TV channels and told them that we are up and running, that everything is on schedule and future episodes for all shows will be shot on time.8221; The company8217;s management is looking at alternate sites torebuild the studio, added Dave.