Laurel Run mine fire
Area along Laurel Run Road previously occupied by houses until the 1960s | |
| Date | December 6, 1915 |
|---|---|
| Location | Red Ash Coal Mine and surrounding areas, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania |
| Cause | Lit carbide lamp ignited coal bed |
| Property damage | Much of the community of Laurel Run destroyed |
The Laurel Run mine fire is an underground mine fire near the communities of Laurel Run and Georgetown, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The fire started burning in 1915 at the Red Ash Coal Mine. Attempts to control it lasted from 1915 to 1957 and recommenced in 1966. In the 1960s, the United States government and the Pennsylvania state government became involved in containing the fire. Attempts to stop the spread of the fire were erroneously declared successful in 1973, and the fire is still burning.