Comments on: The fire down below. http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/ The Neat Side of the Web Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:30:04 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Justin http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/comment-page-1/#comment-89445 Justin Mon, 19 Mar 2007 23:17:52 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/#comment-89445 I believe there is also a National Geographic article on this. (the Zip Code USA thing) I believe there is also a National Geographic article on this. (the Zip Code USA thing)

]]> By: AD http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/comment-page-1/#comment-89339 AD Mon, 19 Mar 2007 14:54:40 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/#comment-89339 The Daily Show did a bit a few years ago where one of their correspondents interviewed people in the town and it included footage of the split street similar to the pics after the link. The Daily Show did a bit a few years ago where one of their correspondents interviewed people in the town and it included footage of the split street similar to the pics after the link.

]]> By: James http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/comment-page-1/#comment-89244 James Mon, 19 Mar 2007 08:29:11 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/#comment-89244 Used to live in Philadelphia and have visited Centralia. It's mostly dead but there are still residents there. There was even a direct road through the now completely burned-out areas, but that's been blocked off and the road itself fell into disrepair due to not being maintained for a long time. The entire area definitely felt warmer and you could find hot pockets of escaping steam in quite a few locations. One of the spots we investigated was seared white from the heat and you could see the direction the underground fire was going towards. Large boulders slowly crack and fragment into smaller rocks due to the intense heat escaping from below... tree branches and trunks that have died littered the area, and like I said before, EVERYTHING is white. Bleached white. If you happened to find a branch near an escape vent for the steam/heat, you'd notice that the bark was copperised. Steam carried up metals (in this case, copper) from below that deposited onto the branches. Gives you an idea of how hot the underground fire has burned. I even took the time to stand up on a pile of rocks to piss onto one of the escape vents. My urine was evaporating just before it could splatter onto the rocks. My shoes partially melted (even though I was on a "cooler" spot of the pile) because I had stood there long enough before I was finished. Used to live in Philadelphia and have visited Centralia. It's mostly dead but there are still residents there. There was even a direct road through the now completely burned-out areas, but that's been blocked off and the road itself fell into disrepair due to not being maintained for a long time. The entire area definitely felt warmer and you could find hot pockets of escaping steam in quite a few locations. One of the spots we investigated was seared white from the heat and you could see the direction the underground fire was going towards. Large boulders slowly crack and fragment into smaller rocks due to the intense heat escaping from below... tree branches and trunks that have died littered the area, and like I said before, EVERYTHING is white. Bleached white. If you happened to find a branch near an escape vent for the steam/heat, you'd notice that the bark was copperised. Steam carried up metals (in this case, copper) from below that deposited onto the branches. Gives you an idea of how hot the underground fire has burned. I even took the time to stand up on a pile of rocks to piss onto one of the escape vents. My urine was evaporating just before it could splatter onto the rocks. My shoes partially melted (even though I was on a "cooler" spot of the pile) because I had stood there long enough before I was finished.

]]> By: Andy Frazer http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/comment-page-1/#comment-89070 Andy Frazer Sun, 18 Mar 2007 20:56:53 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/#comment-89070 According to a recent photo essay in Smithsonian magazine last year, the town is *not* completely evacuated. Many residents chose not to accept the government buyout, and they still live there. Andy According to a recent photo essay in Smithsonian magazine last year, the town is *not* completely evacuated. Many residents chose not to accept the government buyout, and they still live there.

Andy

]]> By: security http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/comment-page-1/#comment-88874 security Sun, 18 Mar 2007 06:46:15 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/#comment-88874 One of our colleagues is from around there, and says Residents are still living there and fought the government's buyout attempt Many people or their children are planning to return in 2016 to open the 50th anniversary 1966 time capsule in veterans' memorial. This all started from just one trash fire. One of our colleagues is from around there, and says Residents are still living there and fought the government's buyout attempt

Many people or their children are planning to return in 2016 to open the 50th anniversary 1966 time capsule in veterans' memorial.

This all started from just one trash fire.

]]> By: Dan http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/comment-page-1/#comment-88786 Dan Sat, 17 Mar 2007 22:36:48 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/#comment-88786 Dean Koontz has a (rather bad) novel where the climax takes place in this town. Dean Koontz has a (rather bad) novel where the climax takes place in this town.

]]> By: sandra http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/comment-page-1/#comment-88719 sandra Sat, 17 Mar 2007 18:59:07 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/#comment-88719 After reading "A Walk in the Woods" in 2000 my husband I and drove through Centralia. It is VERY creepy and the ground is hot to the touch. We saw several homes still standing but didn't stay long as the escaping steam and warning signs were enough to scare us off. After reading "A Walk in the Woods" in 2000 my husband I and drove through Centralia. It is VERY creepy and the ground is hot to the touch. We saw several homes still standing but didn't stay long as the escaping steam and warning signs were enough to scare us off.

]]> By: Rhea http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/comment-page-1/#comment-88710 Rhea Sat, 17 Mar 2007 18:28:00 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/#comment-88710 This is also the town that Bill Bryson wrote about in his book "A Walk in the Woods." It's fascinating that people refuse to leave even as the town dies around them. This is also the town that Bill Bryson wrote about in his book "A Walk in the Woods." It's fascinating that people refuse to leave even as the town dies around them.

]]> By: Hvywgt http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/comment-page-1/#comment-88695 Hvywgt Sat, 17 Mar 2007 16:59:45 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/#comment-88695 The town of Valkenvania, from the movie "Nothing But trouble" was loosely based on this town. The town of Valkenvania, from the movie "Nothing But trouble" was loosely based on this town.

]]> By: quinnn http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/comment-page-1/#comment-88677 quinnn Sat, 17 Mar 2007 16:10:21 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/#comment-88677 I recently watched a show about this as well as the one in Australia that has burned for thousands of years and the huge amounts of mine fires in China. amazing stuff I recently watched a show about this as well as the one in Australia that has burned for thousands of years and the huge amounts of mine fires in China. amazing stuff

]]> By: Camillo Miller http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/comment-page-1/#comment-88575 Camillo Miller Sat, 17 Mar 2007 11:55:46 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/#comment-88575 This is the city of the woody guthrie's song "The Dying Miner ". The song has been written in the 30's though , when Centralia still was a busy mining spot. This is the city of the woody guthrie's song "The Dying Miner ". The song has been written in the 30's though , when Centralia still was a busy mining spot.

]]> By: everywordmeans http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/comment-page-1/#comment-88559 everywordmeans Sat, 17 Mar 2007 10:03:44 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/#comment-88559 It's interesting that you posted this, because I just investigate this via Altavista search just last week. I wonder if the initial urge had come from a common source? Maybe you saw something about it on NEatorama? I forget where I heard about this. Cool that you posted it! It's interesting that you posted this, because I just investigate this via Altavista search just last week. I wonder if the initial urge had come from a common source? Maybe you saw something about it on NEatorama?
I forget where I heard about this. Cool that you posted it!

]]> By: megmeg http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/comment-page-1/#comment-88501 megmeg Sat, 17 Mar 2007 04:49:05 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/#comment-88501 This is the town that Silent Hill is loosely based around, I believe. This is the town that Silent Hill is loosely based around, I believe.

]]> By: Ali http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/comment-page-1/#comment-88499 Ali Sat, 17 Mar 2007 04:36:11 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/16/the-fire-down-below/#comment-88499 *gasp!!* Silent Hill!!! O_o Is that an acid spitter I see in a tree!? *gasp!!*

Silent Hill!!! O_o

Is that an acid spitter I see in a tree!?

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