In May 1962, the town ordered to have the local landfill burned in an attempt to clean-up the waste. The fire spread through unsealed tunnels and openings that led to an abandoned coal mine. Thus, igniting the fire that burns to this day.  Local fire-fighters were unable to cease the burning and the government quickly decided that the town needed to evacuate for their safety. Just as in the film, the air in Centralia is dangerous and it is recommended people do not expose themselves to the environment for long periods of time. While most people left, a few stayed in hopes that the fire would stop. One of the only remaining buildings is a church that is still in use. Silent Hill is very similar in this regard, as only a few citizens remain in the West Virginia town and continue to attend church services.

In 2002, the town’s zip code was suspended by the United States Postal Service and all roads leading into Centralia have been barricaded. Silent Hill follows this history almost to the exact detail, except in real life Centralia is not plagued by a cult, witches, or multi-dimensional monsters. As of right now, there are only two films in the franchise but Christopher Gans has announced a third film is possibly in the works. The impressive attention to detail speaks to the severity of the historical incident and Silent Hill’s use of the town as inspiration further emphasizes the true horrors that happen in real life.