why do coal miners use battery powered lamps rather than candlelight , lanterns or other types of open fires to provide light inside the tunnels ? Share with your friends Share 6 Ved Prakash Lakhera answered this In the deep coal mines highly inflamable poisonous gases trapped inside the mines are released.In case there is an open source of fire to provide light then these highly inflamable gases may catch fire and the lives of miners would be dangered and lost. As aresult of which not only the lives of miners be lost but aslo the coal mine would catch fire and it would become impossible to put out coal mine fire.So coal miners use battery powered lamps rather than candle light or any open fire source of light. 19 View Full Answer