On
8-1-2003, a building in which nitrate base film prints had been
housed in the premises of Film and Television Institute of India,
Pune was engulfed in fire. Contrary to press reports though over
three thousand nitrate base prints were destroyed, the damage
was contained due to back up prints already having been taken
on safety base earlier by the Archive authorities. The destroyed
prints, essentially of pre 1952 vintage were on the extremely
flammable nitrate base which are prone to very quick deterioration.
The danger posed
by nitrate base films was recognised after fire destroyed such
prints in many parts of the world. Some notable instances of such
destruction were fires in Henderson’s Lab (London) and Cinematheque
Francaise (Paris). The back up prints are capable of being copied
without any loss of quality. Precise reasons for the fire are
being ascertained.
