- Author
-
McNay, L. M.
- Title
- Coal Refuse Fires: An Environmental Hazard.
- Coporate
- Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh, PA
- Report
-
IC 8515
1971
53 p.
- Keywords
-
coal mines
|
refuge
|
environmental effects
|
combustion
|
fire suppression
|
fire prevention
|
extinguishing
|
mine fires
- Identifiers
- spoil banks; coal refuse banks: Alabama; coal refuse banks: Colorado; coal refuse banks: Illinois; coal refuse banks: Kentucky; coal refuse banks: Maryland; coal refuse banks: Montana; coal refuse banks: Ohio; coal refuse banks: Oklahoma; coal refuse banks: Pennsylvania; coal refuse banks: Utah; coal refuse banks: Virginia; coal refuse banks: Washington; coal refuse banks: West Virginia
- Abstract
- The Bureau of Mines located and examined 292 burning coal refuse banks throughout the Nation's coal-rpoducing regions in 1968. These coal waste fires, extending over 3,200 acres, produce poisonous, acrid gases and particulate matter that pose a threat to health and safety in the surrounding areas, damage vegetation, and cause the deterioration of nearby structures and buildings. Methods of extinguishing coal refuse fires are discussed, and an approach to eliminating future occurrences of these fires is presented.