This is the most toxic town in America

pulse

December 7, 2017 10:22 PM

Picher, Oklahoma was once a thriving mining community — now it's a ghost town. The only thing left is dangerous levels of lead, cadmium, and zinc.

Picher, Oklahoma was once a thriving mining community — now it's a ghost town. Following is a transcript of the video.

This is America’s most toxic town. The only thing left is dangerous levels of lead, cadmium, and zinc. Picher, Oklahoma wasn’t always a ghost town. When mining ended in 1967, massive amounts of toxic by-products like chat were left behind — which leaked into the groundwater.

For nearly 25 years, the government tried to clean up Picher. But in 2006, residents had to leave everything behind. Leaving the region with 14,000 flooded, underground mining shafts. Photographer Seph Lawless explored the abandoned city. "At one point my foot went through the ground. And I fell to the ground thinking I was going to cave in and die."

This video was originally published on March 13, 2016.

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