Underground Mine Fires

Every few months I renew my interest in Underground Mine Fires. Oddly enough, I didn't even realize that underground mine fires existed until I watched Silent Hill. I don't normally watch those types of movies, but I had heard that there were actual underground mine fires that both the video game and movie were based on so I had to check it out. Of course, as a librarian, I had to research that further. I then read about Centralia, Pennsylvania which some people claim is the place that Silent Hill is based on. This, I am still unsure of, but it is entirely plausible. I also read the following books on this topic:

• The Day the Earth Caved In by Joan Quigley

• Death Underground: The Centralia and West Frankfort Mine Disasters by Robert E. Hartley and David Kenney

A few more books of interest on this topic are:

• Unseen Danger : A Tragedy of People, Government, and the Centralia Mine Fire by David DeKok

• Centralia, Pennsylvania (Images of America Series)by Deryl B. Johnson

I found this to be a very interesting topic. There are great many other conspiracy theories on this issue. I also read how much the government pays to cover up these types of mine fires under the Mine Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.

Interesting Web Sites for Centralia and other mine fires:

• Centralia - Offroaders
  

• Centralia- Roadside America
  

• Centralia Mine Fire
  

• Neat Documentary