2023-12-23 04:38:12
A century ago, Centralia, Pennsylvania was a town with many shops, residents and busy streets associated with the mining industry. Coal mined from local mines enriched the city. The present day situation of this city where people lived in peace and harmony is quite different. The streets where hundreds of people were playing and laughing are now completely deserted.
Graffiti highway centralia, Pennsylvania. Image Credit : Connor Luczak/shutterstock
It’s not the amazing culture or the fascinating historical sites that attract people to the city today. It has become a ghost town with abandoned streets, crumbling buildings, and smoke-filled neighborhoods. What causes this condition?
Underground mine
Beneath the empty streets of Centralia lies one thing that never leaves the country; A burning fire. This fire, which has been burning for more than 50 years, is the main reason for the destruction of Centralia.
Fires are not uncommon in coal mining areas. But Centralia was one of the most devastating such events in history.
With rich deposits of anthracite coal, the town became active following mining began in the 1850s. Before the 1962 fire, Centralia was a bustling mining center for more than a century.
In the 1860s, the town was home to members of a secret society called the ‘Molly Magwers’ who emigrated from Ireland to the American coal mines. They are said to have unleashed violence in Centralia in the late 1860s. This was the city’s first period of distress. But it is also said that this is a story concocted by the big bosses to monopolize the mines and not turn once morest them by forming a union.
By 1890, more than 2,700 people lived here, most of whom were miners or their families. The stock market crash and the Great Depression dealt a severe blow to Centralia’s coal industry, but the city remained largely intact. However, that happiness did not last long.
A fire from a trash can
Litter was a big problem in Centralia. The city council wanted to get rid of rat and cockroach-infested landfills forever. So in May 1962, it was decided to remove all of the city’s garbage for Centralia’s Memorial Day celebrations. They set the garbage dump on fire.
Soon following, a fire broke out in a coal deposit below Centralia. It didn’t take long for it to spread uncontrollably into the mine tunnels beneath the city’s streets. Local mines had to be shut down because of the carbon monoxide in the atmosphere. Several attempts were made to put out the fire by digging a hole, but all failed. Since there are many tunnels, it was not possible to find out which tunnel the fire was in.
The city still burns today
As the years passed, Centralia grew hotter. In some places it reached 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Even the dead might not rest in peace, and even the cemeteries of the city sank into the abysses caused by the fire.
In 1992, the authorities officially declared the place uninhabitable. Pin code deleted. However, seven residents remained under court orders; They are forbidden to transfer or sell their property.
Today, Centralia still burns as one of 38 known active mining fires in Pennsylvania. The state environment protection department estimates that the fire will burn for another century if it is not controlled. Although there are no attractions to see, many tourists come here following hearing regarding Centralia. As they drive through the dark and hot streets of the city, the truth of how small man is in front of nature flashes before their eyes.
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