An underground fire fueled by coal and insulated by glass has been burning near the former Westmoreland Glass plant in Hempfield Township since March. Firefighters and township officials are monitoring the site daily to prevent the blaze from spreading.
Property owner Will Shay says a lightning strike ignited the subterranean fire. Heat levels at the surface have reached up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit, causing cracks and sinkholes to form across the property.
The fire is burning approximately 10 to 20 feet below the surface, which is covered in coal and glass. The coal continues to feed the fire, while the glass acts as an insulator that keeps heat trapped underground. Smoke continues to pour from holes in the ground and trees on the property have fallen as their roots burn beneath the surface…