On Wed, 12 Sep 2007 08:31:37 -0400, Gogarty
wrote:

The dirigible burned so spectacularly not because of hydrogen, but because
of the HIGHLY flammable paint they put on the FABRIC covering.

A theory that Mythbusters seems to refute. It was a hydrogen fire. Hydrogen
goes "Whoooosh!"

You can dissolve aluminum in a solution of lye,sodium hydroxide, and
generate hydrogen. A dry cleaning bag will lift about a quarter pound.
You can attach a fuse, and send off the balloon, and when the hydrogen
goes whoosh it will ignite the bag. No surprise there.

Casady