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Fire causes Barbour coal mine evacuation

PHILIPPI — The Arch Coal Leer South coal mine in Barbour County was evacuated early Monday morning due to a fire at the facility.

According to published reports, mining operations were suspended at the mine throughout the day while the cause of the blaze was investigated. No one was injured during the fire, which started in the long mine section and spread to the “gob” area of the complex.

The “gob” refers to the space that is left in the mine after coal has been extracted. The area is typically filled with a mixture of coal, clay, rock and other materials. The fire began at 1 a.m. and was still ongoing late in the afternoon on Monday, according to published reports.

The Barbour County 911 Center never received a report of a fire at the mine. The mine fire brigade team and mine rescue team were on site working to contain the fire. All the miners who were working when the fire started were safely evacuated, officials said.

The Leer South mine is part of Arch Resources, which is a leading U.S. producer of metallurgical products for the global steel industry, and the leading supplier of premium High-Vol A metallurgical coal globally.

The Leer South long-wall mine consistently ranks among the lowest-cost U.S. metallurgical mines and produces a product quality that is recognized and sought-after worldwide, officials said. The Leer South Mine sold 2.7 million tons of coal in 2023.

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