"Ghost towns, submerged land, and polluted paradises dot the American landscape. Here are some of the most infamous, heartbreaking sites.
Centralia, Pennsylvania: Founded in the mid-19th century atop a rich seam of high-energy anthracite coal, Centralia prospered for a century. By the 1950’s, strip mining had produced an enormous amount of waste. In the summer of 1962, the town approved a controlled fire to reduce the size of its municipal landfill.
Did someone say controlled? As some had feared, the fire spread to coal seams and for the next 30 years, local, state and federal efforts to kill the fire failed. It baked homes and roadways in Centralia and parts of the neighboring town of Byrnesville. Heavy rainfall caused sporadic geysers.
Sixty years later, the fire’s still alive in those underground seams. Federal buyouts, the de-listing of the town’s zip code, and melting streets chased all but a few residents who were allowed to live out their lives in a dead town."
Peter Dykstra reports for Environmental Health News February 20, 2022.
Advertisement 
