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This mine fire was started in the Summer of 2004 when a car was set afire on a culm bank. The fire spread into the mine workings. A trench was dug in August 2004 but the fire spread beyond the original trench. A second trench was dug in January 2006. It now threatens the Casey Highway and is now over seven acres. This fire is in the Dunmore #2 and the Dunmore #3 coal seams. Work for a new project is expected to begin as early as February. The trench is anticipated to be 2,300 feet long and up to 135 feet deep and move over 800,000 cubic feet of dirt and rock.
This is where the fire originated. The original trench is plainly visible. Smoke still rises from this location.
NOTE -->
Along this hill smoke and steam indicates the fire has jumped this trench and is spreading. You can see where I placed a note the fire is near the surface.
Look at the discoloration of the rocks.
This is a closeup of the area where the fire is close to the surface.
Here is a collection of video clips showing the mine fire. Smoke and steam can be seen wafting out of the ground. This video has no sound.
Update: on 4/05/07 We went back to look at it again. Work was supposed to start two months ago but the only signs of work was more pipes were drilled to monitor the fire. The fire has spread beyond the hill we saw several months ago.
The same hill view today, the steam and smoke are more prevalent now. The red glow we saw in the second trench is gone.
On the opposite side, this old bridge abutment was exposed recently. I am not sure if it was a road or railroad bridge.
Beyond the hill is this second path, you can see the fire is already beyond this path and heading up this second hillside.
This is drilled into the path near the new sewer line. This has a lot of steam and smoke wafting out and is very hot.
More small fissures opened up beyond the path allowing steam and smoke to waft out. There are spots near here where the ground is warm.
