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`"~ ~ <br />UnitE~States Department of the Interior <br />O1~F1CG OP' SUItFACA: MINING <br />Recimm~lion and l~:nforcement <br />BROOKSTOWGRS <br />1020 I STII STREET ' <br />DENVER, COLORADO 80202 <br />October 8, 1982 ~~~^-~- ~"~a t~~,.'~„~ <br />MEMORANDUM ~~ ~' ,", ~ 19I3Z <br />T0: Chief, Division of Engineering a~ysis- P.11tJLD LAhJD RcCI_AMA(1f1N <br />L'olo. Oept. of Naiurzl Resources <br />FROM: Senior Reclamation Specialist ~~~~~~ <br />SUBJECT: Investigation of a Fire in an Abandoned Mine near Florence, <br />Coiorado <br />The sub,~ect fire was investigated for a second time October 1, 1982. The <br />details of the first visit, July 20, 1982, are in a memo dated September <br />7, 1982. <br />On this investigation I was accompanied by Jim Irwin, and Don Herrera <br />from the Newlin Creck Mine, L1 K. Chen from GEC, and Dave Bucknam of <br />Colorado State Division of Abandoned Mined Lands. Several hours wire <br />Spent on the site and .the following observations were made: <br />1. The abandoned mine workings were definitely on fire and vent'n~ <br />actively from several points, primarily on the highwall. <br />2. Steam and other gases were observed rising through the toe of the <br />refuse dump from the fire in the mine below. <br />3. No fire what-so-ever was noted in the dumped refuse material. <br />4. Two subsidence pits behind the highwall near the fire were drawing <br />air. <br />5. Two breaks were observed in the water line. One, the lower, was <br />allowing an estimated 50 GPM to flow into the mine. <br />6. Evidence which would aid in estimating the "age" of the fire had been <br />destroyed by earth moving efforts to control it. <br />7. Extreme care should be exercised when additional earth work is <br />attempted on the highwall due to the fragile support over the mined out <br />rooms. It was suggested that overburden material ~^ placed between the <br />coal and/or' highwall before future refuse was dumL`^c'. ~ fire i'~elf <br />should be controlled by the covering or' filling of bo*.`~ ;n`ake end <br />exhaust vents to reduce the rate of co~nbusLion until such time a positive <br />Course of action for the .control of the fire can he established. <br />L;~=~:: <br />~' r~ <br />` ..r( F..~.., . <br />