e incident
The Miyamae incident of 1956 was a major mining disaster that occurred in the Miyamae District of Fukuoka, Japan. The incident began at 12:30 a.m. on November 27, 1956 when a massive explosion occurred at the No.4 shaft of the Matsuzaka Mining Company, resulting in the death of 156 miners and injuries to many more. The cause of the explosion has been attributed to the failure of a compressed air line, which aided in the ventilation of methane gas. Additional factors that contributed to the disaster include a lack of safety regulations as well as the fact that the miners were working in extremely hot, moist conditions that easily allowed for build-up of gases. The mining company was ultimately charged with negligence and compensated the victims' families for their losses. The accident prompted the government to enforce safety regulations in the mining industry and prompted changes in the way disasters are handled.