Firedamp

Common card · No. 236579

Firedamp is any flammable gas, typically coalbed methane, the natural gas that is found in coal mines. It is particularly found in areas where the coal is bituminous. The gas accumulates in pockets in the coal and adjacent strata and, when they are penetrated, the release of the gas can cause explosions. Historically, if such a pocket was highly pressurized, it was termed a "bag of foulness".