A massive fire broke out in Al-Ahram Studio in the Omraniya district, the largest district in Giza Governorate, during the early hours of the morning, Saturday the 16th, and the extent of the losses resulting from the fire is not yet clear.
Immediately after the emergency room in Giza Governorate received a report stating that a fire had broken out inside Al-Ahram Studio, one of the oldest photography studios in Egypt and the Middle East, 15 fire engines went to control the fire, which continued until the report was written, and spread to 3 neighboring buildings. The fire led to a power outage in the square. The governor of Giza also directed the evacuation of residents from all nearby buildings.
The fire consumed the decor of the series “The Teacher”, starring Mustafa Shaaban, which is currently being shown on Egyptian satellite channels, and filming of its scenes has not yet finished.
In the first statement by the director of the series “The Teacher” to local media, Markus Adel said that all members of the crew had left the studio minutes before the fire broke out, which was confirmed by the hero of the series, Mustafa Shaaban, in his statements, confirming the safety of the crew and that they had all left the studio.
While the artist Tariq Al-Nahri, who is participating in the series, indicated in statements to local media that during the day scenes were filmed with the artist Mustafa Shaaban, Salwa Othman, Ahmed Badir, and Ahmed Fouad Selim, and things were going normally.
Al-Nahri explained that only the filming equipment was saved, but the fate of filming for the remaining days of the series had not been determined.
Egyptian singer Tamer Hosni sent out a call for help on his Instagram account and wrote via the comics feature: “A violent fire in Al-Ahram Studio in the middle of a crowded residential area. We ask the firefighters to act immediately.”
According to the initial inspection, an electrical short circuit caused by defects in the electrical wiring in the studio caused the fire.
The fire incident on the filming sites of the series is the second in less than a month, as a fire broke out on a filming site “The big one” Which is currently being shown in the Ramadan drama season, and the fire was controlled without casualties.
Al-Ahram Studio…an ancient history
Al-Ahram Studio is considered one of the oldest film studios in Egypt, as it was established during World War II, specifically in 1944, by the Greeks Apakhlos Avramosis and Paris Belvis, on an area of 27 thousand square meters. Al-Ahram Studio includes 3 platforms (filming locations), a showroom, and a dubbing hall. In addition to the development and printing plant.
More than 450 works of art were filmed in the studio. The beginning was with the film “Antar and Abla” in 1945, which was printed and developed inside the studio, and then the film “A Bride for Rent” in 1946 was printed and developed. In the same year, the film “Sahib Balin” was filmed inside the studio, starring Bishara and Kim. Among the most famous works that were filmed or developed in Al-Ahram Studio’s laboratories are the films “The Mermaid,” “The Lady of the Malalems,” and “Fatima, Marika, and Rachel,” starring the artist Mohamed Fawzy.
The studio witnessed the beginnings of director Youssef Chahine with the films “Baba Amin”, “Struggle in the Mina”, “Bab Al-Hadid” and “Son of the Nile”.
In the same studio, the films “My Country and Lightness,” “Baba Aris,” “Circus Girl,” and “Oh Sweetness of Love” starring Naima Akef were filmed, singer Nour al-Huda’s films “Treachery and Torment” and “Joys,” and artist Ismail Yassin’s films “Ibn Hamido,” “Ismail Yassin for Sale,” “Green Threshold,” and the films “Cairo 30” and “The Story of 3 Girls” starring Souad Hosni, in addition to films by major filmmakers in the golden era.
Among the television dramas that were filmed in the studio are “Arabesque,” “Morning and Evening Talk,” “The Crescent Biography,” “Hazrat the Accused My Father,” and “King Farouk,” and in 2019, “Faisal’s Apartment” was filmed in the studio.