Centralia, Pennsylvania: Centralia Mine Fire

Driving through Pennsylvania, my friend Brian managed to drop his cell phone on the Interstate, where it was picked up by a State Trooper. He said "We all got a big laugh out of it down at the station" when they heard that we were going to Centralia. "You're going to be disappointed - It's just a town with some smoke coming out of the ground."

We were anything but disappointed.

This perpetually burning town, this human hell on surface earth is no longer really "burning" and far from anything hellish. There are no chimneys arising from streets to let off primordial fire and brimstone, no eery warning signs- there is nothing to draw anyone there, for any reason, any longer....

Went far out of our way in the pouring rain too see a garbage dump (literally) letting off some steam.

We took a trip to Ashland, Pa. to visit the Pioneer Mine Tunnel and Train, which was a very neat trip. After the tour we took a short 5-10 minute ride, just north of Ashland to this "Ghost Town" as some call it. Tourists and passersby still get out to take a look at the buckled Rt. 61. ENTER AND PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK DUE TO FUMES AND GASES FROM THE FIRE! signs are posted -- use caution. Rt.61 is now smoking at the one crack in the road.

We proceeded to the town. After going down the hill on your left a shrine sits marking Brynsville, Pa., which was abandoned -- only a few buildings stand.

According to the guide in Ashland, only 20 Centralia residents are left and will not move. We took a few dead end roads, which have steps that once lead to once homes, and driveways overgrown with brush. A few street benches still stand with house numbers on them. We took our time, since sinkholes and smoke still come out of the ground in some places. The fire department still has a engine and ambulance in Borough Hall, which still stands but not in good condition.

I visited Centralia, Town atop a Burning Coal Mine, in April. Most of the streets in the town are now cleared of all homes and a large earth mover was busily smashing a house on a hill just north of town.

At first it appeared that the fire had moved on out of town, but then I saw wisps of smoke coming from a hill just south. I drove up to investigate and found several areas belching acrid white smoke from cracks in the soil. The graveyard appeared to be spared from the fire but smoke could be found surrounding on all sides.

Very few people are sticking around in Centralia these days, but those who stay must like it. On my way out of town I noticed a heart-shaped sign screwed into a tree near the center of town that read "We Love Centralia."

My husband & I just took a Sunday drive yesterday and Route 61 does now end up going through what is left of Centralia, PA. There is a slight detour from the original road but it does bring you right into the borough. Before Penndot took you all over to go around the town.

The unfortunate thing now is that it looks like the mine fire is right under the cemetery. When we drove by there was smoke billowing up right amongst the headstones.