1. Plural of firedamp; explosive mixtures of methane gas and air found in coal mines, which can ignite and cause explosions.
Usage: technical; mining industry term; historically significant in coal mining safety

Examples

• Coal miners in the 19th century faced constant danger from firedamps accumulating in poorly ventilated shafts.
• The presence of firedamps required miners to use special safety lamps that would not ignite the gas.
• Explosions caused by firedamps killed thousands of miners throughout the industrial era.
• Modern mining operations use ventilation systems to prevent the buildup of firedamps.
• Canaries were sometimes brought into mines to detect firedamps before they reached dangerous concentrations.