BRATISLAVA – A mobile studio belonging to Slovakian television station JOJ was destroyed by fire on Tuesday, March 19, 2026, while traveling on the D4 highway. The incident, which caused minor traffic disruptions, resulted in an estimated €150,000 in damages.
The vehicle, a specialized truck used for live broadcasts from the field, caught fire on the D4 highway near Bratislava. Authorities were immediately notified, and both traffic police and the Fire and Rescue Service were dispatched to the scene.
Firefighters arrived and quickly began working to contain and extinguish the blaze, which occurred directly on the highway. “Members of the Fire and Rescue Department of the capital city of Slovakia were called on March 19 to the 25th kilometer of the D4 highway in the direction of Austria, where a trailer fire was reported. Upon arrival at the scene, they determined it was a fire involving a truck with a trailer,” the Fire and Rescue Service reported on Facebook.
“Firefighters wearing self-contained breathing apparatus localized the fire using two water jets with the use of foam. They then searched for and extinguished hidden hotspots and worked to unload material from inside the trailer,” officials stated, adding that the damage was estimated at €150,000. “The preliminary cause of the fire was determined to be an operational-technical failure.”
The television station too reported the incident on social media. Journalist Juraj Hajdin posted a video from the scene, writing, “The truck burned down,” accompanied by tearful emojis. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident.
The loss of the mobile studio represents a setback for JOJ 24’s ability to conduct on-location reporting. The incident underscores the risks associated with broadcasting operations in the field.
