THE TOWN WHERE A MINE FIRE STILL BURNS: Centralia, Pennsylvania

The Before and After

This was once a thriving town in Pennsylvania called Centralia. Now as you look at the after picture above you can see it has fell into a sorry state.

Centralia had a mine fire back in1962, but it never went out. No one knows how the fire started, but there was speculation of trash that was being burned caught on an exposed vein of coal.

Over time the the highways started to fill with smoke, underwater gas tanks became heated and there were even stories of person swallowing sink holes.

Heat cracked roads

Lots of the residents moved on because of the safety aspect, but there are still a few people who insisted on staying on. In fact there were 1,000 residents counted in 1981 and a mere 9 who still remained in 2007.

Imagine that your one of 9 living in a town that's dammed? They stay on still knowing that the fire is still burning down below very slowly, and could probably rise at any moment. How scary is that?

Smoke that rises from underground

There was a government relocation programme in place to re-house residents until 2005. But the people who remained refused to be bought out.

Most of the buildings have been been demolished either by humans or nature, after they were condemned by the government.

To note: I have listed this as a tourist attraction, but it's not an official one for the obvious reasons that you have read. Although there are residents the place is dangerous. So if you do go it is at your own risk.