Random Things About the Helltown In Pennsylvania (10 items)

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  (#6) There Was Hope That "Helltown" Would Become A Tourist Attraction, But Visitors Are Strongly Discouraged

  Experts adamantly warn against visiting Centralia. Unfortunately, tourists who read about the town online are often drawn to the site and attempt to take souvenirs home with them, including the signs warning visitors of danger.

  Roadside America wrote, "We imagined a future tourism windfall for Centralia itself, reborn as 'Helltown USA,' with bus tours guided by residents in red devil tights and horns." Not surprisingly, this vision hasn't been realized because of deterrents such as the deadly carbon monoxide levels and raging underground fire which could split the Earth and consume anyone at any moment.
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  (#9) They Opened Their Time Capsule Early

  The residents of Centralia buried a time capsule for the town in 1966, four years after the fire started. By the time they opened it in 2014, most of the town was abandoned. They were supposed to wait until 2016 to open the capsule, but vandals, who stole signs and other memorabilia from the town, also attempted to take the time capsule.

  So the town dug it up early and revealed the contents to the public. Unfortunately, water had seeped in and destroyed all of the paper documents as well as several artifacts, but many items survived. Those items included a miner's helmet and lamp, as well as a pair of bloomers signed by the men of the town.
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  (#7) Officials Have Closed And Rerouted Freeways

  There was really was no other option for officials but to cut off Highway 61. The freeway dropped and buckled as the mine burned, with huge cracks appearing as gas vents formed in the center of the road. Since it is no longer safe or passable, motorists are rerouted through the nearby town of Ashland.
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  (#2) The Hillsides Are Covered In Vents That Spew Toxic Gases

  With the fire burning below ground, all of the smoke and gas it produces needs somewhere to go. If you were to walk through Centralia, you'd see hillsides dotted with vents. Some are man-made pipes which allow gas to escape, while others are natural holes that have formed in the Earth. Either way, going near them means putting yourself at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning. Some produce the gas at life-threatening levels.
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  (#5) There Are Only Ten Residents Left In The Town

  Of the 2,700 residents of Centralia, only ten remain living there. Those tough ten have had to fight hard against state officials and the EPA to keep their residences—they finally won a 20-year legal battle to stay in 2013. The long-time residents were unwilling to leave their homes and land, even as nearby houses burst into flame and toxic gas filled most of the town. The government compensated all of the other residents who abandoned their houses, but a stubborn few are now free to live out the remainder of their lives knowing that, while they're in imminent danger of poisoning and structure fires, the state of Pennsylvania will no longer try to repossess their property.
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  (#4) The Fire Is Going To Have To Burn Itself Out Completely

  The burn has been described as an "epic, meatless barbecue." Under normal circumstances, if a fire occurs the fire department simply puts it out. But with this fire, there is physically no way to extinguish it. It's destined to smolder until it completely burns itself out, which some predict could take as long as 250 years.

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