Marcinelle tragedy: 70th anniversary commemorated in Belgium

Authorities and families gathered at the Bois du Cazier mine to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Marcinelle tragedy. The 1956 mining disaster resulted in 262 deaths, including 136 Italian emigrants.

An official Italian delegation, led by Senate President Ignazio La Russa and Labor Minister Marina Elvira Calderone, attended the ceremony. La Russa noted that the tragedy served as a turning point for workplace safety. To honor the victims, a proposal led by Renato Brunetta and Antonella Sberna has established August 8 as the ‘European Day of Victims at Work’.

The commemoration also highlighted the long-term health impacts on miners. Historical medical research, such as studies conducted by Vinicio Dalla Vecchia, documented the severe respiratory complications, including silicosis, suffered by many miners who worked in Belgian mines and returned to Italy.