Benxihu Colliery Disaster (1942) – China
The Benxihu colliery disaster in China cost 1,549 lives and is believed to be the worst coal mining disaster ever. The tragedy occurred on 26 April 1942 in the Honkeiko coal mine, located near Benxi in the Liaoning province of China.
The fatal explosion of the underground coal mine was caused by a mixture of gas and coal dust. The underground fire exploded out of the mine shaft entrance.
The ventilation system was shut off and the pit head was sealed by the mine operator to deprive the underground of oxygen. An electric fence was erected around the pit to obstruct the entry of miner's relatives.
The coal mine was forcefully operated by the Japanese until the end of World War II in 1945. The Soviet Union conducted an investigation of the mine accident, following the liberation of Liaoning province from the Japanese Army's control.
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