Analysis of underground fires in Polish hard coal mines

In the period of the first twenty years after World War II the number of fires in Polish hard coal mines reached annually the value of several thousands of cases. About 80% of fires constituted spontaneous fires. Investigations into the development of new methods of fire hazard prediction and implementation of new methods and means of fire prevention as well as the introduction of prohibition concerning the use of products manufactured of combustible organic materials in underground mine workings reduced considerably the hazard of underground fire rise. The worked out at the Central Mining Institute (GIG) new method of underground fire prediction allows the correct selection of fire prevention means. The introduction into common use of fire-resistant conveyor belts, the main factor giving rise to spontaneous fires, and methods of assessment of their fire resistance eliminated practically the fire hazard. These activities contributed in an efficient way to the reduction of the number of underground fires to a satisfactory level.