Official: Trash fire extinguished; arson
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BY BEN WOLFGANG
STAFF WRITER
bwolfgang@republicanherald.com
Fears of “another Centralia” just outside Pottsville have been put to rest, Office of Surface Mining officials said Tuesday.
“We dug up the trash pile. It looks like it (the fire) is out,” John Pace, OSM project manager, said in a telephone interview Tuesday afternoon.
The fire, which Pace said appears to be an arson, was described as an “underground rubbish fire” that threatened to spark nearby coal veins. The location of the blaze — a wooded Norwegian Township area, about 300 yards behind WPPA’s radio towers — is a dumping ground for garbage. Pace said coal veins were only 25 feet from the fire.
Pace said it appears someone started a trash fire that quickly spread underground. The fire had been burning for nearly three weeks.
After using bulldozers to dig up the area, Pace said, local fire departments doused the area with 6,000 gallons of water.
“We don’t think it got close to the coal,” he added.
Township supervisor Vice Chairman Leo Grace said he’ll ask for a Pennsylvania State Police investigation into the fire.
In addition, he said the township could haul in tons of dirt and fill the old stripping pit where officials believe the fire originated.
“I wonder if it would pay for us to cover it up ... so this doesn’t happen again,” Grace said in a telephone interview Tuesday.
Pace said there were no flames underground after crews began digging. There was, however, “quite a bit of heat,” he added.
Last week, the area smelled of burning garbage. Thick smoke rose from the ground.
Beer cases and other refuse were scattered in and around the pit. Officials said the location has been used as a party spot for teenagers.
“We dug up the trash pile. It looks like it (the fire) is out,” John Pace, OSM project manager, said in a telephone interview Tuesday afternoon.
The fire, which Pace said appears to be an arson, was described as an “underground rubbish fire” that threatened to spark nearby coal veins. The location of the blaze — a wooded Norwegian Township area, about 300 yards behind WPPA’s radio towers — is a dumping ground for garbage. Pace said coal veins were only 25 feet from the fire.
Pace said it appears someone started a trash fire that quickly spread underground. The fire had been burning for nearly three weeks.
After using bulldozers to dig up the area, Pace said, local fire departments doused the area with 6,000 gallons of water.
“We don’t think it got close to the coal,” he added.
Township supervisor Vice Chairman Leo Grace said he’ll ask for a Pennsylvania State Police investigation into the fire.
In addition, he said the township could haul in tons of dirt and fill the old stripping pit where officials believe the fire originated.
“I wonder if it would pay for us to cover it up ... so this doesn’t happen again,” Grace said in a telephone interview Tuesday.
Pace said there were no flames underground after crews began digging. There was, however, “quite a bit of heat,” he added.
Last week, the area smelled of burning garbage. Thick smoke rose from the ground.
Beer cases and other refuse were scattered in and around the pit. Officials said the location has been used as a party spot for teenagers.
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