A mine fire at CONSOL Energy Blacksville No. 2 mine continues to burn. MSHA released the following statement Thursday afternoon:
Emergency work at the Blacksville Mine is continuing. Borehole No. 1 has been drilled to a depth of 907 feet. It is estimated that the drill will intersect the mine this afternoon. Borehole No. 2 is down a depth of 45 feet. Holes No. 3 4, and 5 are all in the preparation stages.
Water is still being trucked to a borehole and dumped into the mine. The mine is also in the process of laying a water line from a pond near the Orndoff fan to Borehole No. 1. After Borehole No. 1 intersects the mine and a camera is used to look underground, water will be dumped into the mine from the pond.
The recent handheld readings at the Orndoff fan indicate 370 ppm of co in the shaft.
Consol, UMWA, state of WV, and MSHA are all maintaining presence around the clock and are working together to gain control of the fire.
PREVIOUS: CONSOL Energy says it’s now executing a plan to extinguish a fire that began underground in the Blacksville No. 2 mine near Morgantown Tuesday afternoon.
The company said in a statement released Wednesday afternoon that it had identified the general location of the blaze and had put into place “an aggressive plan to contain and extinguish it.”
More than 120 miners were able to escape the burning mine safely Tuesday.
CONSOL says it will use all resources possible to maximize the amount of water it can pump into the area.
MSHA said Wednesday afternoon CONSOL is inducing thousands of gallons of water into a borehole in an attempt to create a water seal and cut off oxygen to the fire.
MSHA also said in a statement:
“There are four additional proposed boreholes at this point, each of which will be between 1,000 and 1,200 feet in depth. When the No. 1 borehole is through, they will drop a camera to see if they can detect the extent of the fire.”
There’s currently no production taking place at the Blacksville No. 2.