The “Silent Hill” Town That’s Been on Fire Since 1962
Centralia, Pennsylvania is a continuously burning ghost town.
The town of Centralia has been burning for a long time. 60 years in fact! And it doesn’t look like it's going to stop anytime soon.
This desolate dot on the map is located in Columbia County, Pennsylvania where Route 61 and Route 42 intersect. Founded in 1866, this coal-mining town was at its peak in 1890, boasting five hotels, seven churches, twenty-seven saloons, two theaters, and fourteen grocery stores!
In its prime, Centralia had a population of 2,500 people. It contained 14 coal mines and was quite the booming town of its day. Sadly, this success died out, unlike the fire that still blazes below the surface.
When the demand for coal began to decline, miners had to move away to find employment in other parts of the country. In the 1960s, the mines were closed down. More than half the residents left town.
And things just got worse.
The fire started in 1962 but the cause is still under debate. The most popular theory is that trash from the landfill that was being burned in preparation for Memorial Day accidentally ignited the coal beneath. The flames began to quickly rise, but the town wasn’t too concerned as they were…
