Mine safety in coal mines, which in turn can initiate more extensive coal dust explosions. For this reason, rock dusts such as limestone dust are spread throughout coal mines to diminish the chances of coal dust explosions as well as to limit the extent of potential explosions, in a process known as rock dusting. Coal dust explosions can also begin independently of methane gas explosions. Frictional heat and sparks generated by mining equipment can ignite both methane gas and coal dust. For this reason, water is often used to cool rock-cutting sites. Miners utilize equipment strong enough to break through extremely hard
2014 Kaohsiung gas explosions neighborhoods. One resident claimed that he had notified city authorities prior to the explosion when he smelled a gas odor near his apartment. However, authorities told him that the situation was under control and had been declared safe after police and firefighters arrived at the scene. Kaohsiung city authorities responded to these criticisms by saying that had residents been evacuated prior to the explosions, there may have been even more fatalities, since most of the injured or dead were those on the roads at the time of the incidents. According to Taipower, staying indoors was the best precaution that could