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scotticusphd t1_j8mj25h wrote

> PADEP says it began when the town filled an abandoned strip mining pit with residential trash. Then, they intentionally lit the trash on fire. ... because there was not a non-combustible barrier in place, the fire spread from the trash to the exposed Buck Mountain Coal seam in the pit, and it's been burning underground ever since.

I had no idea that's how the Centralia fire started. This reads like something from the Idiocracy script.

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Unique-Public-8594 t1_j8myc5l wrote

They set their trash on fire

It’s been burning since 1962.

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IamSauerKraut t1_j8n4pkq wrote

Sounds like a Billy Joel song.

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campppp t1_j8o1yqu wrote

Except in this case they definitely started the fire

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OnTheWingsOfAPhoenix t1_j8oj00v wrote

I still don’t quite get it. The chorus sings “ well, we DID ignite it, but we’re tryin to fight it” So, did we or didn’t we Start the Fire?

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campppp t1_j8ojnsc wrote

I believe the chorus is "no we didn't light it but we tried to fight it" could be wrong tho

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IamSauerKraut t1_j8onam4 wrote

It's been burning, burning, since the world's been turning.

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Crawlerado t1_j8mx3zi wrote

We were in Centralia Saturday and the steam/smoke vents are no longer venting. It was sad to see the highway all covered up with tailings too…

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BarrelDestroyer t1_j8o0ptj wrote

I drive through centralia a lot, the vents for sure still steam on the right day

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Crawlerado t1_j8o126l wrote

These were the ones across from the cemetery. The maps show an active vent further East. Does it depend on weather at all? After a rain?

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BarrelDestroyer t1_j8of78m wrote

I notice them when’s it cooler out and mostly on big mine run leaving centralia, if you look up into the woods from the road they are usually steaming pretty good. Also if you stick your hand up to some of the vents, you can very much feel heat from the mine.

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artificialavocado t1_j8mw8zx wrote

I always heard growing up it was (slowly) heading west toward Mt Carmel, but maybe that’s just something people say.

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hypotenoos t1_j8op5xw wrote

Why don’t they just wait for some snowfall, put a drone up or fly over in a plane. Should be pretty obvious where the fire is.

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ruxtpin t1_j8mq3h1 wrote

Obligatory…

Me sowing: Haha fuck yeah!!! Yes!!

Me reaping: Well this fucking sucks. What the fuck.

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