One of the largest and most notorious mining disasters in the country's history, it led to the deaths of 262 miners, many of whom were guest workers from Italy.

On the morning of 8 August 1956, an accident occurred underground as a result of the attempt to use the hoist mechanism before a coal wagon had been correctly loaded into the lift.

Widely covered at the time in newspapers and television reports, the disaster remains prominent in folk memory in Belgium and Italy.

The moving cage also ruptured oil and air pipes which made the fire worse and destroyed much of the winch mechanism.

Among the victims, there were 136 Italians, 95 Belgians, eight Poles, six Greeks, five Germans, five Frenchmen, three Hungarians, one Englishman, one Dutchman, one Russian and one Ukrainian.

An appeal was lodged, and on 30 January 1961, the court gave the mine manager a six-month suspended jail sentence and a 2,000 Belgian franc fine (equivalent to €300 in 2006 after adjusting for inflation) and acquitted the other defendants.