Ive known about this for decades, as Im sure Cook and other, mostly midwesterners and eastern folk, but its an interesting read anyway:
http://www.offroaders.com/album/centralia/centralia.htm

Actually, it's a government coverup from where a UFO crashed a few years back....

Or it's just Hell on earth, though our troops who've experienced Iraq in the summertime would beg to differ.

I drive through there about twice a year. Strange place.

Oddly enough they set up a nativity scene at the old "downtown" intersection every Christmas.

WOW! That's where they based the movie Silent Hill off of I'll bet!

Wonder why they can't smother the fire....