Coal Mining Fatalities

This database contains 2497 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 43 of 50 pages (2497 entries).

Surname Given Name(s) Year Countysort ascending Mine Cause
Keigan Angus 1883 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess?) Run over by coal tub
Morrison Murdock 1890 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess?) Run over by empty trip
Finlayson John 1894 Cape Breton County Reserve Fall of coal, died 15 days later
Crowly Eli 1898 Cape Breton County Bridgeport Fall of roof stone
Campbell Alexander 1899 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1 Fall of loose coal from hung shot
McDonald John 1900 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 4 Fall of stone at head of deep
McDonald John Y. 1902 Cape Breton County Caledonia Fall of coal from face
Nearing Patrick 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1 Fall of coal
Whiteway William 1903 Cape Breton County Reserve Methane explosion No.5 S level, French slope; died from burns 3 days later
Borden Alex 1905 Cape Breton County Caledonia Fall of coal from face
McVicar Allen 1906 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of stone from roof
Dericimn F. 1907 Cape Breton County Caledonia Fall of coal
McKenzie Archy 1907 Cape Breton County Reserve Fall of coal
McDonald J.A. 1908 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 3 Fall of stone
McDonald James 1907 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 and No. 9 Surface plant Boiler explosion; maybe 4th man killed in an explosion or is a separate explosion
Holley Edward 1909 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 6 Driving when box derailed, knocked out prop, roof fell, killing him
Carroll William 1910 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1 Jammed between coal hoppers at surface
McLellan James 1897 Cape Breton County Victoria Fall of coal from pillar
Child 1908 Cape Breton County Caledonia Polish child, age 2; killed by cars on the surface
Aexter Alex 1911 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines No. 3 (Florence) Explosion
Vitus Armond 1912 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 10 Fall of stone
Batchford David 1913 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1 Fall of stone
Modesto Antonio 1913 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of stone
Bond Alexander 1913 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 3 (Florence) Fall of coal
Murphy John R. 1914 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 4 Fall of stone at face
Murphy John 1915 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 5 Fall of stone
Chiasson Elezare 1915 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 10 Pusher, killed by improperly spragged box
Petrie James 1915 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1 Fall of roof
Cronius Stephen 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 7 Fall of roof
Butts Richard 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Methane and blasting powder explosion
Fraser George 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Methane and blasting powder explosion
McLeod John 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Methane and blasting powder explosion
Reynolds Silas 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Methane and blasting powder explosion
McNeil Peter A. 1918 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1 Runaway trip
McDougald Stephen 1919 Cape Breton County Dominion Coal Company shaft Stone fell from wall
McDonald Hugh 1920 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 4 Severed artery in foot
Neal George 1921 Cape Breton County Jubilee, Sydney Mines Fall down shaft
Whalen Matthew 1922 Cape Breton County Jubilee, lower seam, Sydney Mines Fall of stone from roof
Collier Alfred 1923 Cape Breton County Bras d'Or No. 4 Fall of coal from roof in room
Smith Josiah 1924 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 11 Runaway mine car
Jessoe James 1925 Cape Breton County Colonial No. 1 Fall of stone
McNeil Michael 1926 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Fall of stone
Clark James 1927 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 5 Fall of stone
Pendergrast John 1928 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Fall of stone
Clarke John 1929 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 11 Fall of stone
Francis Arthur J. 1930 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 14 Fall of stone
Haley John V. 1931 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Caught between car and timber
Conn Leo 1932 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 11 Fall of stone
Boone Adrian 1934 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1B Found dead on haulageway
Jessoe Alexander 1934 Cape Breton County Colonial No. 1 Fall of stone

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