Fire Below Your Feet

What happened to make Centralia, Pennsylvania, a modern-day ghost town?

The quiet town of Centralia in the heart of Pennsylvania coal-mining country once had much to offer. In 1962 it boasted 1,100 residents, beautiful old churches, freshly mowed lawns, and fields for children to play in. Today, Centralia has practically vanished. The town lies in ruins and only about a dozen people live there.

In May 1962 a seemingly harmless fire started in an area designated to become part of Centralia's landfill. Someone lit the fire to destroy trash, but no one knew that the trash covered a vein of coal extending 330 feet underground. As the trash fire heated up, the coal ignited. When the fire department extinguished the flames, everyone thought the fire was out. But, a few days later, the flames reappeared. Under the ground, the coal was still burning.

The townspeople began to realize that putting the fire out would not be easy. In July 1962 workers from environmental authorities drilled holes in the ground to monitor the fire's location and temperature. But fresh oxygen entering through the holes may have kept the fire going.

By May of 1969, seven years later, the coal fire had spread farther than anyone thought it would. Six attempts to put it out had failed. As the underground fire inched closer to the center of town, three homes located above its hottest part became too dangerous to live in. The three families had to move. They were the first of many to say goodbye to Centralia.

Other Centralians became increasingly concerned about their safety and the town's future. They decided to try sealing off the fire by mixing ash with water to create a rock-hard barrier. They pumped the mixture into the old mine tunnels under the town. Then they dug a trench between the town and the underground fire to stop its spread. However, these attempts to quench the fire failed. Millions of dollars were spent fighting the underground fire, but it burned on.

Over the years, the ground continued to heat up, and conditions in the little town grew worse. Poisonous carbon monoxide gas vented from underground into homes near the fire. More families moved out.

As the coal burned away, the ground above collapsed. Sinkholes and cracks opened up all over town. Roads split, making driving dangerous. The earth became so hot in places that falling snow immediately melted. During rainstorms, steam rose off the hot pavement as raindrops hit the ground. In some places, the ground temperature measured 750°F to 1,000°F.

By 1983 the only way to stop the fire was to dig a trench three-quarters of a mile long and over 450 feet deep. Then all of the burning coal would have to be dug up. The effort would cost $663 million, and even if they had the money, no one was sure it would work. It was time to abandon the town. The government bought the remaining homes and businesses in Centralia so people could move out. As families left, their homes were torn down or they burned from the heat of the underground fire.

Route 61 that once ran through Centralia is now blocked off, and a new highway detours traffic away. The town's streets are cracked and overgrown with weeds. Signs warn visitors of sinkholes and toxic gases. Centralia has practically become a ghost town.

It's not likely the little town will return to its glory anytime soon. Only a few buildings remain, held up with bricks and boards. Experts believe the underground coal fire will continue to burn for the next 100 to 250 years and may someday cover as many as 3,700 acres. As long as the fire can find new fuel in the underground coal veins, Centralia will continue to burn.

Copyright Carus Publishing Company Mar 2008
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