<p>Karst collapse columns (KCCs) are common geological structures in the coalfields of northern China and adversely affect the safety and production of the mines. In this study, a numerical model for mine water inrush due to a large hidden KCC was developed based on the geological and hydrological conditions of a typical coal mine in northern China. Numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the entire mine water inrush process including the failure of a coal pillar, the hydraulic pressure, and the flow speed of the groundwater. The deformation and failure of the surrounding rock and coal pillar gradually becomes serious as mining continues; a mine water inrush disaster occurs when the mining fully penetrates the entire geological model. The speed of groundwater reaches its maximum value near the coal pillar, which outlines the preferred flow channel for the groundwater. Moreover, factors such as the groundwater hydraulic pressure, strength of coal pillar, and KCC, all of which may control the mine water inrush process, are discussed. The model reveals that high groundwater pressures obviously aggravate the deformation and failure of the coal pillar and surrounding rock. The strength of the coal pillar and KCC also influences the stability of the surrounding rock and coal pillar after mining. If the strength of the rock and coal becomes too weak to maintain the initial balance under the high hydraulic pressure, a mine water inrush disaster can occur.</p>