King of Excellent (according to Scaryduck)

Wednesday, January 13

London's Burning

I know, I know, not in this cold it isn't. But, this was a popular TV series in the 80s and 90s based around the fictional Blackwall Fire Station. Being a typical TV drama you got to know the characters, but unlike most things like it (The Bill, Casualty) you get to see some of the dramas unfolding every episode. They started off quite well, with a film that then went into a series. One thing you were sure of was at the end of each series, they'd blow a large chunk of budget on more and more elaborate rescues. By the end of series 7, they'd reach the pinnacle of their fame, and the budget showed this.
Ever wondered what a fire in a place that fills gas bottles would be like? Apparently the special effects team were firing empty cylinders with air cannons, but it still isn't any less spectacular as one gas bottle after another explodes. More amazingly, it was so real that local residents in neighbouring areas called the real Fire Brigade when explosions and fireballs were seen in the skyline. And so, here from about 1994, is a fire in a gas bottle yard.
Enjoy.