This Recent Arkansas Phenomenon Is Shrouded In Mystery And Baffling Geologists
Earlier this week, small-town Arkansas made national news. Nearly 10-ft. tall flames erupting from a small hole in the ground have caused a bit of chaos in Midway, Arkansas. We’re still waiting to hear the official cause but let’s look at what’s been released so far on this interesting case.
Last Monday morning, the Midway Volunteer Fire Department came out to an unexpected call.
According to Fire Chief Don Tucker, the flames were 2-ft. wide by about 8-ft. tall. After the flames burned out, the hole was measured at about 3-ft. deep. A worker from Black Hills Energy, Jared Chism, was called out to check for a gas leak.
Chism noted the lack of gas lines in the vicinity, nor other fossil fuels nearby. A laser heat gauge measured the flame at 1,400° F. The smell of burnt plastic was also recorded at the scene.
Geologists confirmed it couldn't have been a lighting strike. Judge Mickey Pendergrass told news reporters, "We don’t believe that the devil showed up, or the meteorites landed, or the big booms happened."
Arkansans are not-so-patiently waiting to hear what officially caused the strange fire.
Fire Chief Donald Tucker has sent soil samples (including the white residue surrounding the hole) off to be tested but the results aren't in yet. Until then, a plethora of conspiracy theories have been conjured to explain the mystery.
The spooky season has barely begun and we’re already having a mysterious phenomenon happen. What do you think caused the fire? Share your theories with us in the comments below!
If you’re needing a break from the mystery, take one of these fall hikes to get back to some normalcy.
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Arkansas native, Carol Ann Carson, has written for OnlyInYourState for three years now. She resides in Western Arkansas' Mountain Frontier but calls NWA home as well. The graduate of University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, Carol Ann earned her B.A. in English and will soon be pursing her M.A. in Library Science. She loves exploring the trails around the Buffalo National River and has yet to find a waterfall that wasn't her favorite.
