The 68th anniversary of the Bois du Cazier mining disaster in Marcinelle (Charleroi), set for 8 August, will for the first time pay tribute to the 13 survivors, organisers have announced.
On the morning of 8 August 1956, 275 miners descended into the pit as usual. But a handling error sparked a fire that claimed the lives of 262 men. 13 others emerged alive, either on their own or retrieved by rescuers hours later.
These 13 miners, all now deceased, never received special recognition in the annual commemorations of the tragedy, despite calls from many families.
The next anniversary will therefore mention them explicitly in speeches during the ceremonies. Additionally, an exhibition dedicated to them will run for several months at the site, particularly highlighting the psychological trauma they carried throughout their lives.
Patricia Piette, a granddaughter of one survivor, reflected on the deep-seated trauma: “My grandfather would often wake up in the night, haunted by the same image of a colleague who couldn’t reach the lift in time to escape the pit.”
