(Indiana Evening Gazette,
Friday, October 25, 1939)
HEAT IGNITED BROKEN FILM
‘Gang War" Picture Too
Hot for Indiana Theatre; No Confusion.
A small fire which was extinguished before the
Indiana firemen arrived occurred in the projection booth at the Indiana
Theatre, last evening about 8:40. The blaze was caused by the breaking of a
film. The damage was not over $100, $50 of which was the value of the film.
Frank Kelly, the machine operator displayed courage, when he extinguished the
blaze with his fire extinguishers almost before anyone in the audience knew
anything was wrong. The local company was notified and in record time were on
the scene. The booth, which is fireproof and which has attached fireproof
shutters which close, was filled with smoke as the hissing film burned up. The
film was inside the projection machine and the small blaze and smoke emerged
from all the openings. All other films are kept in fireproof boxes until
needed, so that there was no trouble from them. Mr. Kelly stated this morning
that the fire was caused by the broken film igniting from heat from the light used
in the film machine. About 200 people were in the theatre at the time, and they
behaved in a wonderful way. Some never knew until it was all over that anything
was wrong. Some never moved in their seats. The music was continued and most
thought that just a break had occurred in the film and that it would continue
soon. The reel of film that broke was the 5th reel of “Gang War”, and that
scene that was being shown was one in which a lot of action was taking place,
shooting etc. The theatre management wishes to thank the people for the
wonderful way they acted and want to assure them that there is no danger, that
everything is fire proof around the booth. Tonight the picture advertised will
be shown, just as usual.
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