Located in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, Centralia is a ghost town like no other. What was once a bustling coal mining community has now become a place shrouded in mystery and eerie silence. The story of Centralia is intertwined with a devastating coal seam fire that has been burning underground since 1962, causing the town to be abandoned and condemned.
In 1962٫ a seemingly harmless trash fire was ignited in a strip mine beneath Centralia. Little did the residents know that this fire would become an eternal inferno٫ causing the town to be consumed by flames which continue to burn to this day. Centralia has gained notoriety as one of the most infamous ghost towns on earth٫ although the term ″ghost town″ may not accurately describe the current state of Centralia٫ as a few residents still reside there.
The underground coal mine fire in Centralia has resulted in a multitude of bizarre and dangerous occurrences. Smoke rises from cracks in the roads, steam emerges from the ground, and dead vegetation surrounds the area. This otherworldly atmosphere has drawn comparisons to the popular horror film Silent Hill, although the film’s events are set in West Virginia, elements of it seem to directly reference Centralia.