Coal refuse fire reignites in Chesterfield’s Winterpock neighborhood

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A coal refuse fire in an abandoned mining area in Chesterfield reignited on Monday.

A cloud of smoke could be seen rising from an old coal pile in the Winterpock community on Monday, April 26th, but this isn't the first time. Back in 2023, the smoldering pile near Coalboro and Winterpock road caught on fire twice.

In a post on Facebook, Chesterfield County Fire and EMS said a new spot in the pile began smoking a few weeks ago. A crew with Virginia Energy’s Abandoned Mine Land Team responded to the site and began clearing debris from the area.

A spokesperson with the Virginia Department of Energy said that this is the first step of the process. Crews will then begin excavating and cooling the coal pile with water, ultimately mixing it with inert rock material to prevent it from igniting again.

The department believes the fire started by spontaneous combustion of the pile. Chesterfield County Fire and EMS said crews will be digging at the area to extinguish the fire. As a result, the smoke is expected to get heavier but officials said there is no risk to nearby homes.

According to the Virginia Department of Energy, the coal refuse can be traced back to the Bright Hope Coal Company that operated in the area in 1877. The department previously told 8News that a lack of technology and environmental regulations led to piles of waste from the mining.

The process to extinguish the fire and clear the area is being handled by the department's Abandoned Mine Land program and is expected to take about three weeks to be completed.

The department said air quality is being closely monitored.