Saturday 17 March 2007

Centralia, Pennsylvania, USA

Centralia is a borough in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. Its population has dwindled from over 1,000 residents to 12 as a result of a 40-year-old mine fire burning beneath the borough.

An exposed vein of coal ignited in 1962 due to a trash fire in the borough landfill, located in an abandoned mine pit in the southeast portion of Centralia. Attempts to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful.

The underground fire is still burning and will continue to do so for the indefinite future. There are no current plans to extinguish the fire, which is consuming an eight-mile seam containing enough coal to fuel it for 250 years.

2 comment(s):

Anonymous said...

There is no Columbia County in the state of Pennsylvania.

FWIW, Centralia is in Cambria county.

Anonymous said...

Yes, there is!
Just type 'Columbia County, Pennsylvania' into Google and you'll see for yourself.