STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF COAL MINE FIRE INCIDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES FROM 1950 TO 1977.

Both reported and nonreportable fires were analyzed by time trends, State, ignition source, burning substance, location in mine, equipment, detection, duration, injuries, fatalities, and successful extinguishing agents. The majority of all fires were electrical in origin. The equipment most frequently involved in underground fires was conveyor belts, and in surface fires, it was crushers and/or breakers. Underground fires occurred most often near the working face. Water and hand-portable extinguishers were the most common methods of extinguishment.