Ep 10. Ghost Town from Hell

Engineering Catastrophes Season 2 Episode 10 "Ghost Town from Hell" focuses on the town of Centralia, Pennsylvania, where an underground coal fire has been burning for over 50 years. The episode begins with a brief history of the town and how the fire started. The fire was accidentally ignited in 1962 by a group of trash burners and quickly spread to the underground coal mines, which acted as a fuel source for the fire.

As the episode progresses, the focus shifts to the engineering challenges that the town has faced as a result of the fire. Firstly, the episode explores the impact of the fire on the town's infrastructure. The fire has caused the ground to collapse in many areas, and this has resulted in sinkholes and even the creation of a new geyser. These problems have had a major impact on the roads and buildings in the town, and the episode showcases some of the measures that have been taken to try to counteract the damage.

One of the main engineering challenges in Centralia is the ventilation of the mine fire. The fire has spread through abandoned coal mines beneath the town, and these mines act as a fuel source, making it difficult to extinguish the fire. The episode explores the techniques that engineers have used to try to ventilate the fire and prevent it from spreading any further. This includes drilling boreholes and using fans to move air through the mines.

The episode also visits the town's cemetery, which has been largely abandoned due to the fire. The heat from the fire has caused the ground to become unstable, and many of the headstones have fallen over or disappeared entirely. Engineers have had to work to stabilize the ground to prevent further damage to the cemetery.

Another engineering challenge shown in the episode is the construction of a new highway to replace the section of Route 61 that was closed due to the fire. The new highway required the rerouting of a creek, and the episode showcases the challenges of completing this complex engineering project.

Throughout the episode, interviews with experts and residents of Centralia help to provide insight into the many challenges that the town has faced over the years. The episode presents a comprehensive view of the engineering challenges associated with an underground coal fire, and provides a fascinating look at one of the most unusual and challenging engineering projects in the world.