Investigation Report

The Pennsylvania Paranormal Association - Research and Investigation

BACK

File No: 09-16-027

Location: Carbondale City Hall, Carbondale, PA - Lackawanna County

Investigation Date and Duration:
August 28th, 2009 Arrive 7:00pm / Depart 12:00am
August 29th, 2009 Arrive 8:00pm / Depart 01:00am

Location Status:
Occupied three story City Hall built in the 1800’s with a full basement and walk in attic.

Reported Activity:
For years, employees and visitors have reported hearing footsteps on the second floor with no one present. Doors have opened and closed by themselves. People have felt very uneasy in the basement area as if they were being watched. Others have reported experiencing the feeling that they were touched by an unknown entity.

Equipment:
Digital Cameras (3)
Digital Voice Recorders (5)
EMF gauge (3)
Camcorders w/night shot (4)
IR Boosters (3)
Flashlights
Thermometer (1)
Motion Sensors (2)

Investigators Present:
Day#1 Day#2
Mark Mark
Lauren Ken
Al Bobby
Rob Mike

Location Weather:
Rain/Partly Cloudy: Daytime Highs – 70's.
Geomagnetic Field: Quiet
Solar X-Rays: Normal
PWO: High

Technical Notes:

- Heavy street and foot traffic contamination on all audio recorders.
- Attached police station was occupied/active
creating further audio contamination.

AUDIO and EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon):
DAY#1
VR1 (Digital Voice Recorder: Stationary on 2nd floor near elevator) No physical evidence captured on this device.

VR2 (Digital Voice Recorder: Stationary in basement furnace room) No physical evidence captured on this device.

VR3 (Digital Voice Recorder: Stationary in 1st Floor foyer) No physical evidence captured on this device.

VR4 (Digital Voice Recorder: Stationary on 3d Floor at top of staircase near attic door on display case) No physical evidence captured on this device.

DAY#2
VR1 -(Digital Voice Recorder: Stationary in 1st floor foyer) No physical evidence captured on this device .

VR2 (Digital Voice Recorder: Stationary on 2nd floor near elevator) No physical evidence captured on this device.

VR3 (Digital Voice Recorder: Stationary in Counsel Chambers) No physical evidence captured on this device.

VR4 (Digital Voice Recorder: Stationary in the 3rd floor hallway) No physical evidence captured on this device.

VR5 (Digital Voice Recorder: Mobile with investigators) No physical evidence captured on this device.

In this area on the second floor, employees have heard strange footsteps. When they check to see who is there, no one can be found.

VIDEO:
DVR Camera #1 – (Viewing 2nd floor common area and stairs to 3rd floor) No physical evidence captured on this device.

DVR Camera #2 – (Basement viewing furnace room) No physical evidence captured on this device.

DVR Camera #3 – (Landing between 2nd and 3rd floor viewing 2nd floor common area) No physical evidence captured on this device.

DVR Camera #4 – (Landing between 2nd and 3rd floors viewing 3rd floor hallway) No physical evidence captured on this device.

Camcorder #1 – (Mobile with Team 1) No physical evidence captured on this device at the time of the investigation.

Camcorder #2 – (Mobile with Team 2) No physical evidence captured on this device.

VIDEO: DAY#2 (DVR system left running through the night and into next night)
DVR Camera #1 – (Viewing 2nd floor common area and stairs to 3rd floor) No physical evidence captured on this device.

DVR Camera #2 – (Basement viewing furnace room) No physical evidence captured on this device.

DVR Camera #3 – (Landing between 2nd and 3rd floor viewing 2nd floor common area) No physical evidence captured on this device.

DVR Camera #4 – (Landing between 2nd and 3rd floors viewing 3rd floor hallway) No physical evidence captured on this device.

Camcorder #1 – (Mobile with Team 1) No physical evidence captured on this device.

Camcorder #2 – (Mobile with Team 2) No physical evidence captured on this device.

Photographs:
No photos of evidential value were discovered.

EMF (Electro Magnetic Field):
- Normal baseline readings were measured in most areas of the building with expected spikes near electrical equipment.

- Elevated EMF’S were measured in the counsel chambers on the second floor above the bench seats that run along both side walls with the highest levels just to the left of the entry door. High levels were also measured in the room on the left just prior to counsel chambers along the same wall shared by counsel chambers. These elevated levels are constant and believed to be caused by natural electrical sources in the wall. The high levels in these areas could cause perceived paranormal experiences in some people who are sensitive to these fields but are only psychological in nature.

- Elevated EMF'S were recorded in the basement in the doorway leading to the furnace room and area around the furnace itself. These elevated readings were found to be caused by electrical equipment associated with normal building operations.

During the investigation, investigators found very high EMF fields above these benches about a foot out from the wall and three feet above the benches just about where a persons head would be. Very high fields were also found along this wall in the room next door. The fields were steady leading us to believe they were natural but high enough were someone sensitive to the fields might get creeped out in this area.

Investigator Feelings / Experiences:
DAY#1
Mark – Nothing to Report

Lauren – Nothing to Report

Rob - Nothing to Report

Al - Nothing to Report

DAY#2
Mark - Nothing to Report

Ken and Bob – While in a second floor room (second to right at the top of the stairs), Ken and Bob witnessed a photocopy machine that was already on, begin to start making a copy but an error code then displayed on the machine that the original could not be read.

Bob and Mike - While in the basement cell area, Bob and Mike heard what sounded like three to four footsteps in the hallway. The sound did not appear on a camcorder or audio recorder present in that area at the time.

Pic Left - Area in basement where equipmet produced high EMF'S. Middle Pic - One of two medal cell doors in the basement. While in one cell, Bob and Mike heard what they thoght were footsteps in the ajoining hall. Pic Right - Copy machine on the 2nd floor that began to make a copy apparently on its own.

Conclusion:
During the course of this two night investigation, investigators had a few small personal experiences that could not be explained. No other unusual events or occurrences took place and no evidence of paranormal activity was recorded by any of our audio or video equipment. Nothing of an interactive nature was experienced during this time.

Based solely on the investigation on these two nights, there is insufficient evidence at this time to conclude there is a haunting taking place or to dismiss the accounts of witnesses. Although sound travels very well throughout this building, we were unable to find explanations for the source of the sound of footsteps coming down the second floor hallway and leading to specific rooms. From our experience there, it does not appear to be a carryover sound from other floors causing the sound and due to the nature and repetitive path of the footsteps, it would be probable that a residual haunting would be taking place if so. Further examination of the property must be conducted to establish the cause of the reported activity and to determine whether a haunting actually exists or if any other unforeseen events are causing the activity. We recommend that a log of activity be started and monitored over the course of several months to determine if a pattern exists. We have been invited back by the City and will return in a few months to continue the investigation.

Back to "Case Files"