Vernal Express reports an alarm was raised by carbon monoxide monitors on September 9 revealing coal was burning somewhere behind the longwall operation.
The mine was evacuated soon after and the area sealed to protect the remains of the high Btu mine from being damaged by smoke or fire.
Mine officials told the Vernal Express no workers were injured in the fire, there was no blast or explosion and no smoke.
CEO of parent company Deseret G&T Kimball Rasmussen confirmed that the longwall operation has been suspended until the fire has burned out and permission to reopen the mine can be obtained from safety and health officials.
He said no workers had been laid off in the hold-up and that bord and pillar operations had continued in the meantime.
Supply to the nearby Bonanza Power Plant is being trucked in from Carbon County while the mine waits out the fire. The plant also has a 120-day stockpile of coal from the Deserado Mine.
Mine officials told the Vernal Express that 10 holes from the surface have been drilled into the burning area to take air measurements and pump in nitrogen to smother the flames but the mine managers are in no rush to reopen the longwall until it is safe to do so.
