By Admin 
Ghost Town: There is a small town in the United States where people are not allowed to build permanent houses. Not only this but the government stops anyone from living there. This strange place is Centralia. This is a city that is often considered one of the strangest ghost towns in the world. There is no war or economic crisis behind this strange situation. Rather, it is because of a catastrophe that began more than six decades ago.
Why can’t anyone live here?
This crisis in Centralia started in 1962. At that time, a coal mine below the city accidentally caught fire. Instead of burning, the fire spread into the underground coal layers. According to experts, there is such a huge reserve of coal in this area that the fire can keep burning for the next 200 to 250 years. Decades later, the underground fire is still burning. Because of this it has become very difficult to extinguish it.
dangerous living conditions
Toxic gases come out from underground fires. These also include carbon monoxide. They come out of cracks in the ground. This gas is very dangerous for human health. Apart from this, the heat generated from burning coal can reach very high temperatures underground. This heat weakens the ground above. Because of this, such conditions arise that this place becomes unsafe for people to live.
cracks in the roads
Another big problem is caused by underground fires. As soon as coal burns underground, an empty space is created beneath the ground. With time the ground above it may suddenly collapse. This can create sinkholes. Due to heat and landslides, the roads in the area have also developed cracks.
The government ordered the residents to leave
Due to this increasing danger, the authorities finally decided that it could no longer be lived here. In the 1980s, the United States government provided monetary compensation to residents so they could relocate. Many people accepted the buyout and left. But some residents initially chose to remain in their homes despite the dangers.
land confiscated
In 1992, the government took more stringent action using eminent domain. Under this law, the government took ownership of most of the land and houses in Centralia. Officials also removed the city’s postal identity by removing its ZIP code 17927. In 2013, the government reached an agreement with the few remaining residents. They were allowed to live there for the rest of their lives but could not sell their houses or pass them on to heirs.
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