By Thinus Ferreira
You're reading it here first.
I can exclusively be first to break the news and bring you all the detail after a massive fire broke out at the SABC's Henley Studios just after 20:00 this evening which has completely destroyed the Isidingo set of the Endemol SA production and has caused what will be millions of rands worth of damage.
Don't blame Cherel or Barker Haines - the vindictive and deliciously evil characters in the soap- for the real life fire which engulfed the studio at the SABC this evening and caused widespread panic but which was finally brought under control as fire fighters battled the Isidingo blaze.
This is by far the biggest fire the South African public broadcaster has ever experienced at its Auckland Park headquarters in the history of the SABC insiders tell me, who are already estimating the damage at tens of millions of rand (one insider mentioned "at leasr R40 million" but any damage assessement numbers now would be speculative).
The SABC went into complete emergency mode shortly after the fire broke out, with the main concern being to keep SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 on the air and to not have the national television or radio transmission affected. The SABC is classified as a "national point of interest" and is a national strategic and safety and security concern.
The public broadcaster immediately mobilised as the Isidingo studio was being gutted by the raging fire.
The SABC tells me no foul play is expected at this stage, but that the Isidingo studio, containing millions of rands of equipment and sets have been completely destroyed in the blaze. No cause for the Isidingo fire is yet known, I'm told.
The SABC is extremely concerned about the fire which ravaged Henley Studios and which has brought an immediate end to the production of the soap as well as other productions in the studio complex. The soap which is prerecorded about 3 months in advance has several episodes in the can, so Isidingo will not immediately disappear from television - although it will immediately create huge pressure on the SABC, Endemol SA, the producers and SABC3 which broadcasts the show, which will definitely immediately start with emergency meetings tomorrow.
The SABC is extremely concerned about other possible related damage as well - damage to other adjacent sets, as well as the SABC building structurally and especially cabling running through the SABC's Auckland Park headquarters which will definitely also have been damaged in the blaze while Isidingo went up in flames tonight.
"There is no need for panic," SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago told me just before midnight, confirming that the Isidingo set is toast after a fire swept through the production from just after eight this evening.
"Nobody has been injured. "The loss of sets and equipment will total millions," Kaizer Kganyago tells me, "but there is no need for panic. The SABC is operational, SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 are all broadcasting; there has been no break in transmission. And everything was insured. In the morning we will go and have a look and be able to check and see after the fire is out, what the true extent of the damage is."
"A thorough investigation will start in the morning as to the cause of the fire and the damage to the SABC, the studio and Isidingo," says Kaizer Kganyago.
Related sets and therefore other SABC productions and TV shows could also be affected depending on the damage to the studios and sets. "We don't suspect foul play but serious investigations will start first thing in the morning."
You're reading it here first.
I can exclusively be first to break the news and bring you all the detail after a massive fire broke out at the SABC's Henley Studios just after 20:00 this evening which has completely destroyed the Isidingo set of the Endemol SA production and has caused what will be millions of rands worth of damage.
Don't blame Cherel or Barker Haines - the vindictive and deliciously evil characters in the soap- for the real life fire which engulfed the studio at the SABC this evening and caused widespread panic but which was finally brought under control as fire fighters battled the Isidingo blaze.
This is by far the biggest fire the South African public broadcaster has ever experienced at its Auckland Park headquarters in the history of the SABC insiders tell me, who are already estimating the damage at tens of millions of rand (one insider mentioned "at leasr R40 million" but any damage assessement numbers now would be speculative).
The SABC went into complete emergency mode shortly after the fire broke out, with the main concern being to keep SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 on the air and to not have the national television or radio transmission affected. The SABC is classified as a "national point of interest" and is a national strategic and safety and security concern.
The public broadcaster immediately mobilised as the Isidingo studio was being gutted by the raging fire.
The SABC tells me no foul play is expected at this stage, but that the Isidingo studio, containing millions of rands of equipment and sets have been completely destroyed in the blaze. No cause for the Isidingo fire is yet known, I'm told.
The SABC is extremely concerned about the fire which ravaged Henley Studios and which has brought an immediate end to the production of the soap as well as other productions in the studio complex. The soap which is prerecorded about 3 months in advance has several episodes in the can, so Isidingo will not immediately disappear from television - although it will immediately create huge pressure on the SABC, Endemol SA, the producers and SABC3 which broadcasts the show, which will definitely immediately start with emergency meetings tomorrow.
The SABC is extremely concerned about other possible related damage as well - damage to other adjacent sets, as well as the SABC building structurally and especially cabling running through the SABC's Auckland Park headquarters which will definitely also have been damaged in the blaze while Isidingo went up in flames tonight.
"There is no need for panic," SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago told me just before midnight, confirming that the Isidingo set is toast after a fire swept through the production from just after eight this evening.
"Nobody has been injured. "The loss of sets and equipment will total millions," Kaizer Kganyago tells me, "but there is no need for panic. The SABC is operational, SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 are all broadcasting; there has been no break in transmission. And everything was insured. In the morning we will go and have a look and be able to check and see after the fire is out, what the true extent of the damage is."
"A thorough investigation will start in the morning as to the cause of the fire and the damage to the SABC, the studio and Isidingo," says Kaizer Kganyago.
Related sets and therefore other SABC productions and TV shows could also be affected depending on the damage to the studios and sets. "We don't suspect foul play but serious investigations will start first thing in the morning."
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