is there a special way that coals should be placed when setting up?

Unless the coals are marked I can't see there is a right or wrong way to put them in.
It may just be because you cleaned the soot from around the gas jets.

Blue flames show the fire is burning properly.

If the flames were white or off white /orange then they are the colours to worry about the fire wouldn't be burning properly.

Bob
March 2014