116 children and 28 adults died as a coal waste heap slid and engulfed a school in Aberfan, South Wales, on this day in 1966.
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What was the Aberfan Disaster?
The Aberfan disaster occurred when a large colliery spoil tip (coal waste heap) collapsed and slid down a mountainside, burying a primary school and several houses in Aberfan, a village in South Wales. The spoil tip’s collapse was primarily caused by a combination of factors, including heavy rainfall in the days leading up to the disaster, the instability of the spoil tip, and inadequate engineering and safety measures. The spoil tip was constructed on a layer of waterlogged clay, and the weight of the accumulated waste material eventually caused it to collapse.