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James Cook
{K:38068} 6/1/2007
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Yeah, I know some combustibles come pre-packaged with their own oxygen source and so maybe there is enough free oxygen in coal for the task. Dunno. I don't live anywhere near there. I'm in Seattle.
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Angela DeLong
{K:3050} 6/1/2007
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I think you've got to remember that this is coal on fire too. A normal fire that you can easily smother is what, wood? And smothering it will extinguish the flames, but may leave hot "coals". :) And Anthracite coal is a fuel source. I think the way that coal forms in the ground naturally is with lots of air pockets.
It's amazing how they tried several times and different ways to put it out, then 20 years later final said "screw it". :) It was cheaper to relocate over 1000 residents that keep pouring money into a losing battle. Man vs. nature - we don't always win!
Where do you live, James? You should take a drive out there if you're in the North East.
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James Cook
{K:38068} 6/1/2007
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Yeah, I'm sure it's something like that. But in my mind it seems so easy to smother the fire by depriving of oxygen (plugging the holes). I'll explore that site some more.
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Angela DeLong
{K:3050} 6/1/2007
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I think it gets oxygen through many holes in the ground and through the old mine shafts. There's a story on that website (under the download a portion section) that talks about a 12 year old boy falling into a sink hole in the early 80's. Just opened up when he was walking through a back yard. He could hear "wind" which was the air going into the underground shafts.
Turns out that the back yard was over an old slanted mine shaft that had been filled in with dirt. From the fire burning up the fill and everything else underground, the ground loses stability and colapsed on itself.
I'm guessing most of the air underground is through these old shafts. Though I'm certainly not an expert.
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James Cook
{K:38068} 5/31/2007
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Thanks. That explains the how it got started part. I'm still curious how an underground fire is getting its oxygen, but I'll keep digging.
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Angela DeLong
{K:3050} 5/31/2007
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Here's a pretty good summary of the Centralia story. http://www.centraliaminefire.com/index.php
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James Cook
{K:38068} 5/31/2007
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Amazing. How did the fires start? How do they get oxygen?
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Jan Hoffman
{K:39467} 5/30/2007
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I drove by this area many years ago and was fascinated by the smoldering heat and smell. Good picture and description.
--Jan
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AJ Miller
{K:49168} 5/30/2007
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A very interesting series of photographs - I have never come across anything like this before.
AJ
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