A desolate town in northeastern Pennsylvania has been burning for 60 years. Founded in 1866, Centralia is now a ghost town, but it was once a thriving coal mining hub with 2,800 residents, 2 theaters, multiple hotels and saloons, and 14 coal mines. However, a coal mine fire was brewing that would soon ravage the entire town. The inferno erupted in 1962, hundreds of feet underground, stretching for about 3,700 acres. It spread rapidly through the labyrinth of abandoned mines, fueled by a supply of natural coal in Columbia County. The blaze was unable to be extinguished, causing flames to creep through an unsealed opening. Smoke can still be seen rising from vents today. The smoke is a big draw for tourists, but it’s hazardous. Active vents emit dangerous levels of carbon monoxide that can cause headaches, and prolonged exposure can be deadly. Today, fewer than five people live in Centralia after the government condemned the town and claimed all the real estate through eminent domain. Even the zip code (17927) was revoked, and today the town shares a zip code with the nearby town of Ashland. In the past, one of the biggest draws for tourists was the Graffiti Highway — an abandoned stretch of Route 61 about three-quarters of a mile long that's covered in art. The roadway was permanently closed in 1993 when it became too expensive to repair and tag artists started to spray over the cracks.
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| Centralia before and after the eruption |
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| Graffiti Highway |
