About This Episode
What is this episode about?
The episode "ShortHand: Centralia – The Real Silent Hill" from RedHanded covers the underground coal fire that has been burning beneath Centralia, Pennsylvania, for more than 60 years. The fire ignited in the town's vast coal deposits and has never been extinguished, continuing to smolder far below the surface.
As the fire spread, sinkholes opened up in the roads, revealing flaming pits and sending thick smoke billowing through the town. Toxic fumes seeped up through the floorboards of homes, poisoning residents where they lived. The devastation wasn't limited to the living either — in Centralia's cemeteries, the flames reached up from beneath the ground and consumed the dead in their graves. The episode frames Centralia as The Real Silent Hill, tracing how a real-world environmental disaster inspired the atmosphere of the famous fictional town.
Hosts and release
Suruthi Bala and Hannah Maguire host RedHanded, a true crime podcast that examines serial killers, cults, and lesser-known cases through a cultural lens. The show releases new episodes weekly and has produced around 400 episodes to date. This ShortHand installment runs 28 minutes and is episode number 252. RedHanded is available on Spotify and Amazon Music, with bonus content offered exclusively through Patreon.
