Not having been on-line for a week or so I missed the discussion on
spontanious combustion.I have no doubt it occurs in coal tips naturally and
presume such an occurence will take place where the right conditions exist in
a similar way to those underground that is the oxidisation of coal takes
place and a chemical reaction takes place causing a rise in temperature.Too
much or no oxygen then halts this process but where a source of some oygen
continues then the temperature continues to rise and a fire occurs.This is
better explained in that super little book about William Pit 'The Most
Dangerous Pit In The Kingdom'.The information is found in the section on the
1941 explosion at the pit when 12 miners were killed by an explosion
attributed to water gas when water was run into a gob fire of such a heat
that the oxygen and hydrogen separated and the latter exploded.Only 2 other
such occurences have been recorded in collieries thankfully with no loss of
life.
Andrew Santer
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