| Description |
Fires have been burning for up to ninety
years under the ground in India's
largest coalfield. Smoke seeps from the
ground, making it the unhealthiest place
in the country for up to a million people.
In places fire breaks through the surface,
consuming homes. In the USA whole towns
have been abandoned -- one after a 12 year
old boy was almost swallowed up by a hole
caused by a mine fire, and a whole family was
lucky to escape carbon monoxide poisoning.
It's a global warming problem too -- it's
been estimated that China's out-of-
control mine fires alone pump more
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than
all the USA's vehicles put together.
In these two startling programmes, Mark
Whitaker reports from the "fire areas", in
front of 5-metre flames leaping from
fissures in the ground, walking on rocks
hot enough to boil water, and struggling
to breath in an "ash storm". And reveals
why they are allowed to keep burning |