CENTRALIA MINE FIRE (1962)

Centralia mine fire cont.…

What went wrong or happened?

What was the extent of the disaster?

What lessons from these disaster to the

chemical or any engineering profession?
 What went wrong?
Centralia mine fire is a coal seam fire (is
underground smoldering of coal deposit) that has
been burning underneath the borough of
Centralia, Pennsylvania, United states since the
mid of May 27, 1962.
 What went wrong…
The city council decided to tidy up the dump by
setting it on fire before Memorial Day. The fire was set
in the normal way. This time the fire burned so deep
into the garbage and even after the fire brigades had
finished their work, there was still smoking two days
later. The fire debris had fallen down an old shaft in
the corner of the dump, into a labyrinth of
abandoned mining tunnels. There was clear danger
that an underground coal fire would begin.
 What was the extent of the disaster?

Environmentally
Environmental impacts of the Centralia mine fire
included air pollution and greenhouse gas
emissions were very dangerous to the
environment. The greenhouse gas such as
carbon dioxide gas produced by the coal mine
fires.
 Extent of the disaster…
Health
In the 1968 the people started to suffer from
unexplainable illness (headache, nauseas,
drowsiness, asthma) that can now be
understood in terms of gases leaking into their
homes from the underground fires. Seriously
health and safety hazard were due to the
releasing toxic fumes
 Extent of disaster…
Economically
This project also affected the economy of the state
because of carrying out various projects to control
the effect of the Centralia mine fire. By 1983 over
$7.0 million was spent on fire control projects and
the emergency relocation of some of the residents.
After 1983 and up to January of 2012, approximately
$41.6 million was spent on the relocation efforts.
 Lessons from the disaster
Not to be ignorant of the hazard.
Safety precautions are very necessary at the
hazard area.
Importance of environmental impact
assessment before starting any project.
Necessary to preserve the history of the
disaster for future reference .
Education to be provided to stakeholders.
Centralia mine fire figures