The Donora Smog (1948) was a tragic event that occurred in Donora, Pennsylvania. Donora is known for being an industrial town as it had many factories and zinc mills. However, when the smoke was released from these factories it remained in the town. This was because a layer of cold air had settled over the town and did not allow the smoke to exit into the atmosphere. This cause the smoke to build up in the town and created a problem. Within 12 hours, 20 people died and half of the population (7,000 people) were left with long term lung problems.
After 5 days, the smog finally managed to clear up from the rain that cleaned the air. This tragedy is the most catastrophic air pollution-related event in U.S history. As a result, in 1963, the government decided to pass "The Clean Air Act." Today, Donora is a town with now only about 4,000 people. In remembrance of the tragedy, there has also been a museum created.
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