If my research serves me correct, this weekend would be the anniversary of the start of the Centralia mine fire. It was in preperation for a Memorial Day activity at the one (St Ignatius?) cemetary. The mine (name escapes me right now) was converted into a trash dump and it was customary to burn rubbish back then. The burning trash wasn't extinguished, and some of the remaining coal ignited.
In the early 80's, the Commonwealth sought to buy back most of the property, citing a health risk existed (some reports state a strong smell of sulphur in the air, along with the few remaining residents complaining of various ailments). Most of the residences and businesses met their fate through the wrecking ball, and many tribute sites delcared the town "dead" as of 1996. The last known population count puts the one-time flourishing mountain town's head count to roughly 11 (compared to approx. 1,100 around the start of the fire in 1962).
What, if anything, will area (I believe Pottsville) radio stations be doing to commemorate? Sure, there will not be much of a ceremony in town, as it has been condemned by the DEP (even tho' it has become a haven for the "morbidly curious" in recent years), not to mention not many people remain.
If I ran, say, WPPA, I would go all music from 1962 that weekend, just to flash back to "simpler times", and attempt to dig up some actualities from coverage of the fire. Not a reason to celebrate, but I feel it should be noted, as it is part of the area's heritage, like it or not.
In the early 80's, the Commonwealth sought to buy back most of the property, citing a health risk existed (some reports state a strong smell of sulphur in the air, along with the few remaining residents complaining of various ailments). Most of the residences and businesses met their fate through the wrecking ball, and many tribute sites delcared the town "dead" as of 1996. The last known population count puts the one-time flourishing mountain town's head count to roughly 11 (compared to approx. 1,100 around the start of the fire in 1962).
What, if anything, will area (I believe Pottsville) radio stations be doing to commemorate? Sure, there will not be much of a ceremony in town, as it has been condemned by the DEP (even tho' it has become a haven for the "morbidly curious" in recent years), not to mention not many people remain.
If I ran, say, WPPA, I would go all music from 1962 that weekend, just to flash back to "simpler times", and attempt to dig up some actualities from coverage of the fire. Not a reason to celebrate, but I feel it should be noted, as it is part of the area's heritage, like it or not.