Iconic Egypt TV studio Al-Ahram now 'crime scene' after fire, threatening popular Ramadan series

Egyptian authorities are to investigate a massive blaze fire at the iconic Al-Ahram studios in Gaza, which threatens to disrupt two popular Ramadan TV shows produced at the site.

The 80-year-old studio was severely damaged on Saturday night with the cause of the blaze still unknown.

The prosecutor general on Monday dispatched detectives to look into the fire, which has become a national issue in Egypt, to look into possible foul play.

"Crime scene investigators of the interior ministry have been tasked with identifying the cause of the fire, how it started and spread, and whether there is possible foul play or negligence behind the incident,” said an official statement released late on Sunday.

Three buildings and an area where palm trees were planted were mostly burned down.

Prosecutors questioned security personnel and workers at the studio who unanimously said the fire first began in a wooden building and then reached other structures.

The fire broke out in the early hours of Saturday, destroying the location of an Egyptian alley inside the 27,000-square-metre site, with at least nine people injured, including firefighters.

It took six hours, involving 40 fire engines, to extinguish the blaze, according to local news outlets.

A total of 10 adjacent residential buildings in the Al-Haram neighbourhood of Giza province, west of Cairo, including 46 flats, were impacted, many of them completely gutted by the fire.

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The prosecutor-general formed three committee of experts to assess the situation. One will examine damage to nearby buildings and another to inspect the trees, which may have led the blaze to spread through the production site.

Ahram Studio was established in 1944 during the Second World War seeing the creation of over 500 major TV and cinema works.

It is one of the oldest and most prestigious film production houses in the Arab World.

Two major TV shows currently screened during the highest season of the year, the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, are at risk of being halted due to the fire

The producers of El-Kebeer Awi ("The Big Boss"), a TV sequel starting prominent comedian Ahmed Mekky, and El-Moallem ("The Master), a drama series featuring superstar Mostafa Shaaban, could not be reached for comment at the time of publication.