Originally Posted by
Sixty Fiver
Celluloid nitrate was used in film stocks prior to 1934 and was replaced with celluloid acetate which breaks down in the presence of heat which releases acids in the film... the nitrate based film is the one that is responsible for theatre fires.
I had an old 12 inch reel of 35mm film on the wall as a display piece. I'm a film collector, so I know the dangers of old film - I checked out the film and confirmed it was Kodak safety film. My kid, as kids are wont to do at a certain age, was playing with a lighter. Got too close...imagine a jet engine going off in your living room. The flames shot up from the floor where the reel fell ten feet to the ceiling with a raging, roaring flame you would not believe. Just like a jet engine. It burned out in about a minute. Left a burned imprint of the reel on the hardwood floor. Scared the crap out of the kid and me, too. Someone had spliced some safety film on the end of the reel. I was extremely lucky the house didn't burn down - and if it had, the insurance would not have covered it - celluloid film is specifically exempted.