Professor's presentation takes closer look at Centralia disaster
SCHUYKLILL HAVEN - A presentation at Penn State Schuylkill took a closer look at the Centralia mine fire and how it compares with other major mine fires in the region.
Harold Aurand, an assistant professor of American studies and history, presented "The Research Project That Found Me: Comparative Anthracite Mine Fires," as part of the Faculty Research Seminar Series on February 20.
Aurand said that the people of Centralia were using an abandoned strip mine outside town as a garbage dump and the garbage would catch fire - sometimes on purpose because residents would burn it off to get rid of it. In 1962, the dump caught fire, got into the underground mine and slowly burned toward the town.
"It's a disaster and it's been very famous," Aurand said. "It's been the basis for movies like 'Silent Hill.' This is a story everybody is kind of interested in."
The other mine fires that Aurand talked about included the Laurel Run Mine Fire near Wilkes-Barre that started in 1914 when a miner forgot to turn off his light after work on a Friday. While the fire was contained for years, it eventually broke loose in 1962.
Professor's presentation takes closer look at Centralia disaster - News - The Citizen Standard
SCHUYKLILL HAVEN - A presentation at Penn State Schuylkill took a closer look at the Centralia mine fire and how it compares with other major mine fires in the region.
Harold Aurand, an assistant professor of American studies and history, presented "The Research Project That Found Me: Comparative Anthracite Mine Fires," as part of the Faculty Research Seminar Series on February 20.
Aurand said that the people of Centralia were using an abandoned strip mine outside town as a garbage dump and the garbage would catch fire - sometimes on purpose because residents would burn it off to get rid of it. In 1962, the dump caught fire, got into the underground mine and slowly burned toward the town.
"It's a disaster and it's been very famous," Aurand said. "It's been the basis for movies like 'Silent Hill.' This is a story everybody is kind of interested in."
The other mine fires that Aurand talked about included the Laurel Run Mine Fire near Wilkes-Barre that started in 1914 when a miner forgot to turn off his light after work on a Friday. While the fire was contained for years, it eventually broke loose in 1962.
Professor's presentation takes closer look at Centralia disaster - News - The Citizen Standard
