A destructive fire broke out at the studios of Ya TV, a television station broadcasting translated Asian content in Amharic, on the evening of February 14, 2024.
The station, located in the Agona Cinema Building in Addis Ababa, had been operating for just under a year since going on air.
The management of the TV station said they have lost 15 million birr worth of their properties.
According to reports, the fire began around 7pm and quickly consumed the entire Ya TV facility. All production and studio equipment sustained complete damage in the flames. The fire also spread to an adjoining church located within the same building, razing it as well.
Ya TV had carved out a niche serving Ethiopian audiences with Korean movies and other Asian programming translated into Amharic. Its launch marked an expansion of cultural exchange on local screens. However, after only a short time in operation, the entire station was lost to the devastating blaze.
Fire crews battled the blaze but were unable to save any part of the TV or the church.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.