Old abandoned Coal Mine near a small factory in a small city in Belgium
During the 19th century industrial revolution in Europe, coal was in high demand. Especially in Wallonia, the steel and machine industry was growing. Hasard Cheratte was built. Many Flemish and Dutch people from Limburg moved to this region and came to live in the province of Liège. The first shafts were dug in 1848. They were 170 and 250 meters deep. Later, two more shafts were dug. One shaft can be found in the main building, two in the surrounding area and one on the hills. The deepest shaft dug was as much as 480 meters deep. Hasard Cheratte was one of the most modern mines in the 19th century. Underground electricity was used, there was equipment for fire fighting, steam engines and pumps for dewatering.
After the Meuse flooded in 1877, water entered the shafts where people were working. In the process, many workers died and the mine was temporarily closed. The mine was reopened in 1907 when it got a new owner. Hasard Cheratte was expanded considerably. Additional washrooms and one built for administration were constructed. The two other shafts were dug, a Malakoff tower was built and shaft number 1 was equipped with an elevator car driven by two direct current motors. This was the first electrically controlled elevator shaft in all of Belgium.
Coal production was increased between 1920 and 1930. This was a result of the construction of a railroad and the busier port. During this period, over 1,500 people worked in the coal mine. A district was built not far from the factory where the miners could live with their families. Many of these half-timbered houses can still be seen. In the 1960s, over 1,000 tons of coal were brought to the surface. But the mine gradually aged. Until 1962, even horses were still used underground. The demand for coal declined drastically in the 1970s. No more profits were being made, while costs were rising. Hasard Cheratte was now so obsolete and alternative fuels such as gas and oil were already being used. More and more employees were leaving the mine. In 1974 only 960 people still worked at the mine, three years later there were only 590. Although more than 50 years of coal remained underground, the mine was closed for good in 1977. This ended a long period of coal mining that began on December 26, 1848.