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)sort descending Year County Mine Cause
Keiver James L. 1924 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Fall of stone
Brennan James P. 1952 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Bump; 1 of 2 killed
Anderson James R. 1979 Cape Breton County DEVCO No. 26 Methane explosion, sparked by coal shearer hitting stone; 1 of 12 killed
McDonald James R. 1931 Cape Breton County Florence Fall of coal
Miller James Sr. 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Roach or Roche James Sr. 1932 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of coal
McDonald James T. 1905 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 3 Fall of coal from roof
Casey James W. 1953 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Killed by haulage
Fraser James W. 1880 Pictou County Foord pit influx of water; 1 of 6 killed
Higgins James William 1980 Pictou County Thorburn Mining Ltd, Stellarton Fell and struck head, died 4 days later; coal dumps reclamation project
Hamilton James Y. 1928 Pictou County Drummond No. 5 (Intercolonial No. 5) Fell head first while timbering the roof when staging collaped under fall of heavy coal lump
MacDonald Jasper 1926 Pictou County Albion Struck by falling timber prop
Wood Jasper E. or R. 1919 Cumberland St. George Fell down slope, died 1 day later
Fosse Jean Baptiste 1876 Pictou County Vale Fall of coal
Murphy Jeremiah 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Armishaw Jesse 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Hoeg Jesse Havelock 1959 Cumberland Cochran Fall of stone
Skinner Job 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Prindle Joe 1906 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of coal from face
Haggart Joe or James 1885 Pictou County Vale Devastating methane explosion
Blois John 1959 Cape Breton County Four Star Fall of stone
Campbell John 1938 Cape Breton County Princess Broken cable on riding rake; 1 of 21 killed
Beaver John 1954 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 25 Fall of stone; 1 of 2 killed
Hickey John 1936 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of stone
McNaughton John 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Patten John 1941 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 11 Runaway trip
McDonald John 1899 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1 Fall of stone at face of room
Cummings John 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
McCuish John 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of stone from roof
Campbell John 1908 Inverness Port Hood Explosion on No. 3 level south; 1 of 10 killed
McDonald John 1943 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 16 Fall of stone
Martin John 1918 Cumberland Jubilee No.2, River Hebert Runaway mine car
Ellis John 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Potts John 1874 Pictou County Foord pit Rope broke on bucket going down pump shaft
McDonald John 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Caught between cage and pulleys
Gillis John 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Walton John 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Pendergrast John 1928 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Fall of stone
Stewart John 1936 Cape Breton County Colonial Struck by runaway trip
Morrison John 1899 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Fall of coal whilst holing in pillar
Doyle John 1917 Cumberland Kimberly Fall of stone, died 6 days later
McGilchrist or Gilgrist John 1866 Pictou County Foster pit Clothing caught in hoist winding drum
Davidson John 1895 Cape Breton County Hub Fell from stage down shaft; 1 of 2 killed
Maddison John 1958 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Terrific, devastating bump
McInnis John 1908 Cape Breton County International Fall of stone
Murphy John 1929 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of coal
Fergusson John 1887 Cape Breton County Gowrie Fall of roof coal
McMullin John 1907 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of stone
Emery John 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Treige John 1945 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 11 Struck by level trip

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