The Centralia mine fire is a coal-seam fire that has been burning in the labyrinth of abandoned coal mines underneath the borough of Centralia, Pennsylvania, United States, since at least May 27, 1962. Its original cause and start date are still a matter of debate.
A coal seam-fueled eternal flame in Australia known as "Burning Mountain" is claimed to be the world's longest burning fire, at 6,000 years old. A coal mine fire in Centralia, Pennsylvania, has been burning beneath the borough since 1962.
The Longest Burning Fires
And the oldest known natural eternal flame is at Mount Wingen, Australia – otherwise known as the Burning Mountain. The fire began in a coal seam that was struck by lightning at the surface, some 6,000 years ago.
It wasn't known at the time, but the fire was over an open coal seam. The town of Centralia happens to sit on top of one of the largest deposits of anthracite coal in America, the Mammoth Vein. Experts have said there is enough coal there to keep the fire burning for 500 years, or even longer.
Scientists estimate that Australia's BurningMountain, the oldest known coal fire, has burned for 6,000 years.
Over 5500 years ago a coal seam beneath the exterior of Australia's Burning Mountain ignited 90 feet below the surface making it the longest known continuous fire on the planet.
The Centralia mine fire is a coal-seam fire that has been burning in the labyrinth of abandoned coal mines underneath the borough of Centralia, Pennsylvania, United States, since at least May 27, 1962.
In the Centralia mine disaster on March 25, 1947, the Centralia No. 5 coal mine exploded near the town of Centralia, Illinois, killing 111 people.
However, experts believe the fires under Centralia could burn another 250 years before they exhaust the coal supply that fuels them. Why don't firemen simply put them out? They can't! The fires are too deep and burn too hot to be fought effectively.
Yes, the mine fire started on May 27, 1962 and is still burning today. Estimates show there is enough coal for the fire to burn for 250 years.
Highest temperature
Dicyanoacetylene, a compound of carbon and nitrogen with chemical formula C4N2 burns in oxygen with a bright blue-white flame at a temperature of 5,260 K (4,990 °C; 9,010 °F), and at up to 6,000 K (5,730 °C; 10,340 °F) in ozone.
In eastern Australia, these three components have been going strong since prehistoric times, leading to the longest-lasting known fire in the world: a scorcher that has burned beneath Mount Wingen in New South Wales for at least 5,500 years — although some geologists suspect it could be up to 500,000 years old.
The oldest fire recorded on Earth has been identified from charcoal in rocks formed during the late Silurian Period, around 420 million years ago.
Class C fires are often one of the most difficult types of fire to actually extinguish – it is quite rare for a fire extinguisher to extinguish all the flames of a gas fire – making it incredibly important to try and avoid a Class C fire as far as possible.
Yanartas. Turkey's Yanartaş (meaning "flaming stone") is an odd geographical site that features dozens of little fires caused by methane gas vents in a rocky mountainside. The fires have been burning for an estimated 2,500 years.
Nitrocellulose: a fire with no burns.
Douse coals with water.
By slowly pouring water over the charcoal and stirring, you can cool ash quickly and completely, eliminating the possibility of dormant embers reigniting. Be careful — make sure you pour the water slowly to avoid creating hot steam.
On March 25, 1947, a deadly coal mine explosion rocked the calm, peaceful town of Centralia, IL. During World War II, this mine provided coal to the war effort. A charge ignited built-up coal dust and caused the explosion. This explosion should have surprised no one.
The community of roughly 1,500 was supported by the seam of coal that ran beneath the town. However, in 1962, a fire was lit in the town dump that spread beneath the entire valley and threatened the community's existence. A lonely and abandoned street corner in Centralia.
Very few houses are left standing, and the underground fire is still burning. There's almost nothing left in Centralia—except a white church with a blue dome that rises above the trees.
Natural underground coal fires also exist. Around the world, there are a few thousand of them burning, compared to about 1,500 active volcanoes. The Centralia fire now reaches as deep as 300 feet and covers some six square miles-- that's more than seven Disneyland's.
The Centralia Mine Fire has been burning in the abandoned deep mine workings of the Buck Mountain Coal Bed since May 1962. The fire reportedly originated as an intentional controlled burning of residential trash in an abandoned strip pit (surface mine).
Just below the surface of the earth in New South Wales, a coal seam has been burning and slowly moving south along the mountain at a rate of one meter per year. In its history, the seam has covered a total area of 6.5 km, making it the oldest continuous coal fire in the world.
Burning Mountain is an iconic geological phenomenon in New South Wales, Australia. It is renowned for being the longest burning fire in the world, having been alight for more than 6,000 years!
Other well-known examples are Brennender Berg (Germany) which has been burning for more than 300 years, Smoking Hills (Canada) discovered in 1826 and Centralia (Pennsylvania, USA), which has been burning since 1962.