Fire puts ‘Fair Go’ off air

Press, 23 July 1986, Page 10

Fire puts ‘Fair Go’ off air

PA Wellington A small fire in a rubbish bin at Avalon’s studio block disrupted Television One nationwide for about 10 minutes last evening. The alarm was raised while “Fair Go” was being televised live before a studio audience in Studio Nine. The audience was moved out along with all Television New Zealand staff in the studio block, including those recording a “True Colours” programme in Studio Eight. A TVNZ spokesman, Mr Geoff Shirkey, said the fire started in a rubbish bin in the film editing area. Filler items were shown during the disruption. Television Two, broadcast from Auckland, was not affected. The fire was doused before the Lower Hutt Fire Brigade arrived. “Fair Go” resumed and finished about 15 minutes behind schedule. The Christchurch, the Division officer in charge of fire safety, Mr John Sinclair, congratulated "Fair Go” last evening for “doing the right thing and providing an excellent example to public and private organisations — many of which ignore such things as fire alarms.” “They deserve congratulations for taking a popular programme off air to answer their fire alarm,” he said.