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• The Roadside North Portals were sealed during February 2000. The steel <br />fan duct did not hamper the placement of the incombustible material in the <br />mine opening as shown on Figure 14-2, Permanent Mine Seals. The <br />equipment doors on the fan duct were cut away to expose the full width <br />and height of the ventilation return mine opening. The sides of the steel <br />duct were left in place for support. <br />A fire at the Roadside North Portals was discovered on Monday, <br />December 3, 2001, at approximately 9:10 a.m. Smoke and heat waves <br />were noted coming out of the last remaining portion of the steel fan duct. <br />Portions of the steel duct work had been removed a few weeks before by <br />a reclamation contractor with the use of flame torches. It is speculated <br />this was the heat source that initiated the fire. At approximately 10:00 <br />a.m. flames had started in the fan duct. MSHA and the DMG were <br />notified. MSHA arrived at the site at approximately 11:30 a.m. After <br />MSHA arrived the Palisade Fire Department was called out and they <br />sprayed about 4000 gallons of foam into fan duct and extinguished the <br />flame. About 18 yards of concrete were then dumped into the fan duct to <br />seal the crack where the methane was escaping. The following day <br />another 24 cubic yards of concrete were placed in the fan duct. On <br />December 5`" and 6'h dirt backfill was placed in a crack behind the <br />concrete collar over the belt entry and dirt was loosely placed in the fan <br />duct. <br />The concrete collar over the belt entry was originally sealed into the <br />beltline mine opening with shotcrete. This shotcrete has deteriorated. <br />Methane that seeps through the incombustible material in the mine <br />opening is concentrated behind the concrete coilar before it is liberated <br />into the atmosphere. <br />The Operator will perform gas checks before any work is performed near <br />the portals. Final reclamation of the portals involves placement of about <br />100-feet ± of dirt fill over the portals so further remedial sealing operations <br />are not considered necessary. <br /> <br />• <br />14-32 Rev. 1 /02 <br />