Transformer- Fire Extinguisher (1939, silent)

In this 1939 silent, industrial safety or firefighting demonstration film, a series of controlled fire tests are conducted at an industrial plant under the watchful eyes of technicians and observers. Men in work attire observe flames burning within a containment area as a man sequentially holds up placards marked with numbers—possibly indicating time, temperature, or experiment stages. A caption explains that oil is deliberately spilled over the sides of a tank, escalating the blaze. Subsequent captions document the test’s progress, noting the use of CO2 to suppress the fire. Thick smoke fills the frame as men cautiously approach the area, and a crowd of onlookers gathers. A “SECOND TEST” begins, repeating the setup with a larger burning object, again observed carefully by workers and technicians. White smoke and bright flames mark the intensity of the fire, and the scene becomes increasingly chaotic as men gesture and move through the smoke. Captions refer to the broader implications of such fires, including the threat of brush fires, and the film concludes with a crowd examining the burned remains and a final “SUMMARY” caption, likely reviewing the test’s outcomes or recommended procedures.

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