Prompt Cast
The Enduring Coal Seam Fire in Centralia, Pennsylvania
TLDR Centrelia, Pennsylvania has been mostly abandoned since 1962 when a coal seam fire started underground and continues to burn to this day. Efforts to extinguish the fire have been unsuccessful, and the town remains unstable and unsafe.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
In 1962, a coal seam fire started underground in Centrelia, Pennsylvania and continues to burn to this day, causing the town to be mostly abandoned.
02:42
Coal seam fires are naturally occurring and can burn indefinitely, causing significant loss of coal and posing a problem for mining communities.
05:03
Sealing off coal seams is important to prevent both human-caused and naturally occurring coal seam fires, and a company has developed a foam made of Portland cement and fly ash that can be sprayed on leftover coal to prevent fires and get rid of fly ash waste.
07:42
Coal seam fires can start naturally and are difficult to extinguish, making it dangerous to ship coal on large ships.
10:02
The Centralia coal fire started when a landfill burn got into the coal seam, and it has been burning for decades, with temperatures reaching up to 1350 degrees.
12:32
The government tried to evacuate the residents of Centralia, taking away their zip code and closing down the road that ran through the town, but some people believe the town could reopen one day, although it is highly unlikely due to the ongoing instability caused by the coal fire.
14:42
Efforts to extinguish the Centralia coal fire have included vent pipes to redirect noxious gases away from the town, as well as attempts to dig a fire break, but the fire has proven extremely difficult to put out and requires constant monitoring.
Categories:
Society & Culture
