Coal Mining Fatalities
This database contains 2498 known Nova Scotia coal mining fatalities. Names, dates, places, mines, and causes of death have been painstakingly compiled. Despite this, it is by no means a complete list. Fatalities occurred before records were kept; descriptions of incidents and those involved were lost along with coal company records. Official recording of multiple deaths may have missed some names; in some cases, names are misspelled. However, this is likely the most complete list that exists. Please contact us if you know names to add.
Displaying page 25 of 50 pages (2498 entries).
| Surname | Given Name(s) | Year |
County |
Mine | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McKenzie | Frederick A. | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
| McNeal | David | 1873 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Devastating methane explosion |
| Morgan | Delbert | 1951 | Pictou County | McGregor | Killed by fall of coal or stone from rib |
| Munsie | William | 1943 | Pictou County | McGregor | Crushed between a box and a steel boom |
| O'Brien | William | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
| Poplar | Danny | 1992 | Pictou County | Westray | Devastating methane and coal dust explosion |
| Roach or Roche | James Sr. | 1932 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Fall of coal |
| Ruddick | Edward | 1873 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Devastating methane explosion |
| Sherider | Wentzell | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
| Spoors | Mat | 1887 | Pictou County | Vale | Caught beneath a roof fall while timbering; 1 of 2 killed |
| Tabbot | John | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
| Vacheresse | Albert | 1932 | Pictou County | McGregor | Fall of coal |
| Wilson | David | 1898 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Struck by falling roof prop |
| Adderly | Thomas Jr | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
| Baudoux | John maybe George | 1930 | Pictou County | Albion (Purvis slope) | Riding an empty trip that derailed; killed by falling timbers and stone |
| Boquet | Berry | 1892 | Pictou County | Vale | Fall of coal from working face |
| Buko | Andrew | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
| Campbell | John | 1873 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Devastating methane explosion |
| Chisholm | Colin C. | 1873 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Devastating methane explosion |
| Conway | James | 1950 | Pictou County | Albion | Fall of coal |
| Dalling | James | 1873 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Devastating methane explosion |
| Drolet | Remi Joseph | 1992 | Pictou County | Westray | Devastating methane and coal dust explosion |
| Fanning | Willard | 1943 | Pictou County | Albion | Fall of coal from face |
| Frampton | Rod | 1939 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Run over by a loaded box |
| Fraser | Charles Robert | 1992 | Pictou County | Westray | Devastating methane and coal dust explosion |
| Conway | John | 1868 | Cape Breton County | Aspe Bay | Explosion of powder |
| Downie | John | 1873 | Cape Breton County | International | Run over by train |
| McDonald | Murdoch | 1878 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess) | Methane explosion; 1 of 6 killed |
| Steele | Thomas | 1887 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess) | Fall of roof stone |
| Young | Alexander | 1893 | Cape Breton County | Gowrie | Fall of roof coal, died 6 days later |
| Ferguson | Allen | 1896 | Cape Breton County | Caledonia | Struck by part of junk while loading |
| Johnstone | Thomas | 1899 | Cape Breton County | Caledonia | Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed |
| Hilliar | Joseph | 1899 | Cape Breton County | Caledonia | |
| Howie | Alexander | 1901 | Cape Breton County | Caledonia | Killed by runaway coal wagon in east deep |
| Finlay | Bart | 1902 | Cape Breton County | Harbour Seam | Fall of stone from roof |
| McDonald | Dan | 1903 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Fall of cage down shaft |
| Warren | Edward | 1904 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Fall of stone from roof |
| McVarish | J. | 1905 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Run over by box |
| Morrison | John | 1906 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Fatally injured between boxes on slope |
| McMullin | John | 1907 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Fall of stone |
| Bartlett | John C. | 1908 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 1 | Fall of coal |
| Johnston | James | 1908 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Fatally injured by air pipe bursting, died a month later |
| Seaman | Max | 1909 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Electric wire |
| McLean | Dan S. | 1910 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | While connecting wire, shotfirer fired |
| Connors | John | 1910 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Run over by motor, died a few hours after |
| Hamilton | William | 1903 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines Colliery; Nova Scotia Steel & Coal | Killed by runaway trip on slope |
| McLean | Dan | 1911 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Fell under engine |
| Purchase | Harry | 1911 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines No. 3 (Florence) | Methane explosion and coal dust; 1 of 8 killed |
| Gumatto | William | 1912 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | uncertain if killed; confusing records |
| Graham | Alex | 1913 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 15 | Fall of stone |