Underground fire crosses old coal galleries for over six decades and keeps few people in the Pennsylvania town.
A small mining community in the United States was practically wiped off the map after a fire reached an extensive underground coal network.
Located in Pennsylvania, Centralia once had about 2,500 inhabitants and 14 operating mines during its period of greatest prosperity.
The scenario changed completely in May 1962, when a burn conducted at a landfill allowed the flames to reach the old mining galleries.
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Since then, the fire remains active under the city, causing smoke, toxic gases, cracks, and sinkholes in the ground.
Centralia grew over an extensive coal reserve
The history of Centralia is directly linked to mining.
During the first decades of the 20th century, the city experienced its economic peak thanks to the exploitation of the coal reserves existing underground.
The activity supported jobs, businesses, and thousands of residents.
The decline of mining began gradually, as several mines were closed.
About a thousand people still remained in the city at the beginning of the 1960s, according to information from the portal All That’s Interesting.
None of these residents imagined that an underground fire would definitively change the future of the community.
Fire started during landfill cleanup in 1962
Municipal authorities discussed, in May 1962, how to clean the local landfill before the Memorial Day celebrations.
The chosen solution was to set fire to the waste to reduce the volume of accumulated garbage.
Firefighters prepared the area and started the burn on the night of May 27, 1962.
The embers were extinguished with water after the completion of the service.
The fire reappeared a few days later, forcing firefighters to return several times to the site.
A hidden opening under the trash was found during inspections.
The hole connected the landfill to the extensive network of tunnels dug during decades of mining.
The flames reached a layer of coal and found enough fuel to continue advancing underground.
Smoke and toxic gases began to reach the houses
A strong smell began to invade homes and commercial establishments.
Smoke also began to escape through cracks opened in the ground.
Subsequent inspections identified elevated levels of carbon monoxide, confirming that the fire was advancing through the old galleries.
The region’s mines were closed for safety.
The risk continued to increase even after mining activities were halted.
Attempts to extinguish the fire ended unsuccessfully
State authorities tried to control the fire through large excavations.
One of the projects aimed to open deep trenches to directly reach the flames.
Engineers miscalculated the volume of earth that needed to be removed.
The resources ran out before the work could be completed.
Another attempt used a mixture of water and crushed stone to fill the tunnels and smother the fire.
Low temperatures froze equipment and pipelines during the work.
The amount of material available was also not enough to fill the entire underground labyrinth.
Only part of the galleries was occupied, allowing the flames to continue advancing.
Residents resisted even in the face of risks
Part of the population decided to remain in Centralia for many years.
Some residents even found curious advantages in the heat coming from underground.
Tomatoes grew during the winter, while certain sidewalks accumulated less snow.
The families’ bond with the town made any decision to move difficult.
Leaving the place where they were born and built their lives did not seem like an acceptable alternative for many residents.
Crater almost swallowed 12-year-old boy
The effects of the fire became more severe during the 1980s.
Residents suffered carbon monoxide poisoning inside their own homes.
Trees died, streets cracked, and different areas of the land began to sink.
The most well-known episode occurred on February 14, 1981.
Todd Domboski, then 12 years old, was walking through the town when the ground opened beneath his feet.
The boy partially fell into a huge crater.
A root prevented Todd from completely disappearing into the hole.
His cousin managed to rescue him shortly after.
Government allocated $42 million to relocate families
The accident made it clear that the population’s continued presence posed an increasing risk.
The federal government allocated $42 million in 1984 to buy properties, demolish buildings, and relocate residents.
Between 1985 and 1991, hundreds of homes and businesses were acquired.
Some families refused the offers and initiated legal disputes against the State.
The government used the instrument of eminent domain in 1993 to take over the remaining properties.
Lamar Mervine, former mayor of Centralia, remained in his home until he died in 2010 at the age of 93.
Agreement ensured the last residents could stay
A definitive agreement was reached in 2013 between the State and the residents who still lived in the town.
The residents received compensation and secured the right to remain in their homes for the rest of their lives.
The properties will pass definitively to the State after the death of their owners.
Centralia remains one of the most well-known ghost towns in the United States.
Few homes remain standing, while the fire that started in 1962 continues to burn beneath the ground in Pennsylvania.
Would you have the courage to stay in a town where an underground fire has been active for more than six decades? Share your opinion!
