The following measures are normally taken to stop /prevent underground fire in coal mines:

1. Ensuring proper ventilation.
2. Adoption of panel system working.
3. Provision of gas detecting apparatus.
4. Sealing off of worked out / depillared panels.
5. Extraction of highly susceptible or thick coal seams in conjunction with sand stowing.
6. Monitoring ambient mine environment conditions by sampling and analysis on regular basis.
7. Stone dusting.
8. Removal of spalled fallen coal regularly from workings, which are not sealed-off.
9. Regular inspection of old workings.

The main reason of fire in underground coal mines is spontaneous combustion of coal which is the process of self-heating of coal when exposed to air. If the rate of dissipation of heat is relatively slow as compared to the progress of heat by oxidation, there is a gradual build-up of heat and coal bed temperature reaches to the ignition point of coal thereby causing fire. Such fire can be prevented by nitrogen flushing in fire affected areas and use of quick setting materials for construction of isolation stopping.

This Press Release is based on the information given by the Minister of Railways and Coal Shri Piyush Goyal in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on 03.01.2018 (Wednesday).

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