The Town That Burns
A fire ignited in the coal seams beneath Centralia, Pennsylvania in 1962. More than sixty years later, it's still burning — and the town is gone.
In 1962, a fire started in the maze of abandoned coal mines beneath Centralia, Pennsylvania. It crept through the seams and never went out. Years of official half-measures and inaction let it spread until the ground itself turned deadly.
The Slow Disaster
Toxic gases seeped into homes. The earth grew hot. In 1981 a twelve-year-old boy nearly vanished into a sinkhole that opened beneath him without warning. Only then did the response turn serious.
The fire could burn for another 250 years.
Erased
The government bought out and relocated residents, condemned the buildings, and demolished most of the town. A few holdouts stayed. Centralia was quietly removed from official maps.
Follow Off Limits America.
Centralia is still on fire. It's just no longer on the map.
You've Seen the File.
A fire that could have been contained early was left to consume an entire town. Bad luck, or buried negligence?
The Day the Earth Caved In — Joan Quigley
The definitive account of the Centralia fire and the families it uprooted.
Find it on Amazon → As an Amazon Associate, Off Limits America earns from qualifying purchases — at no extra cost to you.Follow Off Limits America.