Fire Finally Put Out After Burning 100 Years

After a three-year effort, firefighters in far western China have put out a huge fire that had burned for more than 100 years in an untapped coal deposit.

Their achievement saved 5.5 million tons of coal reserves in the Baiyanghe mine in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the official Wen Hui Daily newspaper reported Thursday.

Fires covering about one-fifth of the 12 square miles of reserves were consuming about 300,000 tons of coal annually.

Using explosives, firefighters bored holes and then poured water, sand and stone on the flames.