The REAL "Silent Hill:" Centralia Pennsylvania

A coal fire below Centralia, PA has been burning for 45 years and has enough fuel to burn for another 250 years. It's a real life horror story with no immediate end in sight. The roads are closed, signs are posted about toxic gas emissions, the cemeteries have a greater population than the town ever had, and the underground coal mine fire, which started in 1962, continues to burn.

In 1962, Centralia was a growing community of about 1100 residents. The town sat upon one of the richest veins of anthracite coal in the United States. Now there are 4 people who live there. One of the residents is Lamar Mervine, the town's 86 year old mayor, who recalls how no one took action for four or five months and when they did, it was too little, too late. He is determined to stay in Centralia and tell his story to all who ask.


In the 2006 horror film, "Silent Hill," the town of Silent Hill has been abandoned due to a prolonged mine fire. "This was inspired by Centralia, PA," says the film's director, Christophe Gan. Throughout the movie we see characters wandering through the mist wearing mining gear. Films such as "Silent Hill" and other Hollywood movies all have an ending. Unfortunately, the underground mine fire beneath Centralia, PA has no ending in sight.