Final answer:
The claim that the Centralia mine fire could have been extinguished in the 1960s if workers hadn't taken a holiday is false due to the complexity of underground fires and various influencing factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the fire in Centralia, Pennsylvania could have been extinguished in the 1960s if the state's work crew had worked triple shifts and not taken Memorial Day off is most likely false. The Centralia mine fire, which began in May 1962, was indeed problematic, and extinguishing underground coal fires often requires more than just increased labor for a short period. By the time experts fully realized the scope of the fire, it had already become a complex and expensive problem to resolve. Even assuming that additional shifts over a holiday could have made a difference is speculative at best. The complexity of fighting an underground mine fire includes factors such as the size and depth of the fire, access to the fire, the geology of the area, and the availability of resources and expertise. Therefore, it is unlikely that the scenario presented could guarantee the extinguishment of the fire. The statement that the fire in Centralia could have been extinguished back in the 1960s if the state's work crew had worked triple shifts and not taken Memorial Day off is false.
The fire in Centralia, Pennsylvania started in 1962 when a trash-burning fire ignited a vein of coal in an abandoned coal mine. Despite efforts to put out the fire, it has been burning ever since. In 1983, engineers concluded that the fire could burn for another century or more and spread over nearly 4,000 acres.
Therefore, the fire in Centralia could not have been extinguished in the 1960s, even if the work crew had worked triple shifts and not taken Memorial Day off.