This Town has Been on Fire for 50 Years (video) (IMAGE)

American Chemical Society

This Town has Been on Fire for 50 Years (video)

Caption

In 1962, a fire started in the coal-mining town of Centralia, Pa. Fifty-three years later, the town still burns. In this week's episode of Reactions, we explain the history and science behind the Centralia coal mine fire. Does anyone still live there? How could the fire keep burning for so long, and why hasn't it been extinguished? From a chemical standpoint, what is fire, anyway? It's all answered in our latest video: https://youtu.be/fsgqy5FYP2c.

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The American Chemical Society

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