London’s Screen Archives enables Londoners see their past come alive on film. Managed by Film London, we are a unique network of historic film collections that cares for, collects and screens heritage film across the city. Together we preserve London’s rich film heritage from feature films to home movies, public information films, newsreels, and records of the capital’s many different industries.
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Fire Like Vesuvius
Billowing smoke and huge flames at Hendon, as a factory that manufactures varnish for aeroplanes goes up in smoke.
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Overview
A summer drought and the volatile nature of the materials used in the manufacture of aeroplane varnish was thought to have contributed to this explosive blaze, which destroyed the works of Titanine Ltd in Booth Road, Colindale. It’s a spectacular fire with smoke and flames thrusting into the sky, tackled by a handful of forlorn looking firefighters amid the rubble. The film later shows the extent of the wreckage, with the fire still raging.
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