A lightning strike has left a Pennsylvania community facing a fire that has continued to burn underground for months.
Smoke there appears to be escaping through openings in the ground near a long-shuttered glass factory in a Pittsburgh suburb, where buried industrial waste is believed to have caught fire last spring.
Here's what to know
Lightning in Hempfield Township ignited buried material, including coal, in March. The blaze is now estimated to be smoldering 10 to 20 feet underground. The affected site is the former Westmoreland Glass Company property, according to video from CBS Pittsburgh and affiliate KDKA.
@cbspittsburgh An underground fire continues to burn at the former Westmoreland Glass Company property in Hempfield Township, months after a lightning strike ignited buried waste material, including coal. The factory closed in 1984, but during its decades of operation, tons of its waste were buried on the property, just across the railroad tracks from where the ruins of the old plant still sit. The fire started last March and is burning an estimated 10 to 20 feet below the surface. Neighbors have reported seeing smoke rising from the ground, and KDKA cameras captured smoke venting from several openings on the property. Read more at the link in the bio.
♬ original sound - KDKA
Waste from decades of glassmaking remains buried beneath the property, even though the plant closed in 1984.
"Tons of its waste were buried on the property, just across the railroad tracks from where the ruins of the old plant still sit," KDKA explained in its video caption.
Local news coverage shows underground burning at ground level as smoke escapes through openings on the property.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
More background
Property owner Will Shay told CBS/KDKA that he is worried about whether he will be able to use the land as he intended after the fire is addressed.
"I purchased this property to build a small memorial to my late wife, and that's what I really want to do. And it's something that concerns me that you just don't know what's going to be allowed to be done to the property after everything's taken care of. I just want to be able to use it for what I bought it for," Shay told the news outlet.
What's being done?
Hempfield Township and its fire department are monitoring for potential dangers to the public. County officials and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection are also reportedly a part of response efforts.
Shay told CBS/KDKA he hopes a plan to put out the fire will emerge from the DEP's work. The agency coordinated core drilling to pinpoint the blaze and establish whether it poses an immediate threat.
Because the affected land is privately owned and raises public safety concerns, officials want residents and visitors to keep away.
Where can I learn more?
Waste-related hazards and fires have disrupted other communities, too:
• In Michigan, discarded lithium-ion batteries sparked a landfill fire spanning 1.5 acres.
• France's biggest wildfire since 1949 was extinguished after smoldering underground for weeks.
• In New Zealand, a vape battery sparked a $2.5 million recycling-center fire, forcing an 11-month closure.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
