Mar 25, 2013 2 min read

Consol Energy has received approval of its plan to re-enter the Blacksville No. 2 Mine to inspect the area where a fire started March 12.

Approval of the plan was given by officials from the state, Mine, Safety and Health Administration and the United Mine Workers union, which represents mine employees, the company said in a news release issued Monday.

Consol, working closely with federal and state authorities, has pumped a sufficient amount of water into the mine to complete the water seal and remotely pumped eight isolation walls from the surface into the mine tunnels to seal off the fire area.

This process was completed Sunday evening. An analysis of continuous mine atmosphere readings indicates gas levels remain steady and oxygen levels continue to decrease, the company said. As result, Consol believes the fire has been extinguished, it said.

“I am extremely proud of the successful collaborative effort from federal and state agencies, the UMWA, contractors/vendors and our employees on site who worked around-the-clock to remotely extinguish a fire in less than twelve days,” Consol Energy Senior Vice President Chuck Shaynak said. “Without their efforts, we would not be where we are today. Most importantly, we accomplished all of the work without an injury.”

The company and state and federal agencies will continue monitoring the mine atmosphere prior to re-entry, which is scheduled to begin about 7 a.m. Wednesday, if all atmospheric monitoring continues to indicate the mine is safe to enter.