Apr 18, 2013 2 min read

Consol Energy continues to construct seals in its Blacksville No. 2 Mine to isolate an area affected last month by a fire, but when the mine might be ready to resume production is still unknown.

Consol teams are constructing the seals underground near the mine’s Kuhntown Portal and Orndoff airshaft, both in Wayne Township.

The pumping of the first permanent seal was completed Tuesday afternoon and a second was completed Wednesday, Consol spokeswoman Lynn Seay said in an email update.

The teams continue to clean and prepare other areas for final seal construction. They hope to complete six of the 21 permanent seals that will be needed to isolate the affected area by Saturday, the company said.

The teams also continue normal pre-shift examinations and regular weekly airway inspections of the mine. Air monitoring has indicated gas levels remain at steady levels.

In its first quarterly report issued last week, the company said it had spent $15.2 million to extinguish the fire.

The fire was discovered March 12 when smoke was detected coming from the Orndoff shaft. All underground employees were safely evacuated. Mine rescue teams entered the mine but withdrew after encountering heat and heavy smoke. Efforts to extinguish the fire were then conducted from the surface.

Numerous boreholes were drilled from the surface to pump water and inject nitrogen underground into the affected area and to monitor the mine atmosphere.

Mine rescue teams were able to re-enter the mine March 27 after it was determined the fire had been extinguished. The company announced last week that the entire mine had been inspected and no other significant issues were discovered that would relate to the mine’s safe operations.