Is the coal fire in Centralia still burning?

Today, Centralia still burns as one of 38 known active mining fires in the Pennsylvania. Modern-day Centralia is known as much for the blaze—and the graffiti that covers its abandoned highway—as for the mining that once sustained it.

Why is Centralia PA abandoned?

This US town has been abandoned for almost 60 years because of an underground fire that continues to burn. An underground coal fire has raged for 57 years in Centralia, Pennsylvania, turning a bustling mining town into what is almost a ghost town, with fewer than 10 residents.

Where is the longest burning underground fire?

The Centralia mine fire is a coal-seam fire that has been burning underneath the borough of Centralia, Pennsylvania, United States, since at least May 27, 1962.

Where is the underground coal fire?

The Centralia mine fire is a coal-seam fire that has been burning underneath the borough of Centralia, Pennsylvania, United States, since at least May 27, 1962. Its original cause is still a matter of debate.

How long has Centralia been burning in Pennsylvania?

50 years
Flickr/poolski In what seems like the plot to a disaster movie, the quiet town of Centralia, Pennsylvania has endured a burning problem since 1962: It’s been on fire, literally, for the past 53 years. And how this fire started still remains a mystery.

How do underground coal fires start?

Underground fires usually begin when a coal seam juts up through the ground’s surface. The coal can be ignited in three ways: by human accident, by lightning, or by spontaneous combustion—the process by which the explosive gases contained in coal combine with oxygen and heat up to the point where they burst into flame.

What town is burning underground?

Urbex : Exploring Abandoned Centralia, PA Ghost Town Burning Underground. Centralia, PA is a modern day ghost town with an ongoing underground inferno. Silent Hill was inspired by Centralia ‘s plight. It was also a model for various movies that wanted to give a hell-like appearance in a ghost town.

What is the longest burning coal mine fire?

One of the longest-burning coal seam fires is at Burning Mountain in New South Wales, Australia. It has been burning, very slowly, for at least 6,000 years, reported ABC Science . Another long-burning coal fire is in Centralia , Penn., where the coal has been smoldering since 1962.

Where is the mine fire in Pennsylvania?

The Centralia mine fire is a coal seam fire that has been burning underneath the borough of Centralia, Pennsylvania, United States, since at least May 27, 1962.

Is fire still burning in Pennsylvania?

The Burning Town of Centralia, Pennsylvania. The fire still burns today beneath about four hundred acres of surface land, and it’s still growing. There is enough coal underground to feed the fire for up to two hundred and fifty years, but it may burn itself out in as few as one hundred years.