France marked the 50th anniversary of the Liévin mining disaster, which claimed 42 lives on December 27, 1974. Prime Minister François Bayrou attended a surprise commemoration in Pas-de-Calais, honoring the victims as "fallen on the field of labor.

" The tragedy, one of the deadliest post-war mining accidents in France, remains a symbol of the sacrifices made by workers.

Bayrou reflected on personal loss and emphasized the nation's commitment to remembering these lives.

The ceremony took place near the Saint-Amé church, where the clock still shows 6:17, the time of the explosion.

Historian Marion Fontaine highlighted the event as a turning point in workplace safety awareness, rejecting the notion of fatality in labor.

President Emmanuel Macron also paid tribute, calling the miners' courage a lasting lesson for all.