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 40 of 50 pages (2498 entries).
| Surname |
Given Name(s) |
Year | County | Mine | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smeyers | Pierre | 1925 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 1B | Fall of stone |
| Leshambre | Pierre | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
| Balzoni | Pietro | 1934 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 16 | Fall of stone |
| Pyke | Pleaman | 1956 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 4 | On bankhead, Electricity-fired coal dust explosion |
| Fraser | Preston | 1913 | Pictou County | Vale | Fall of coal |
| McEwan | R. | 1921 | Cape Breton County | Florence | Explosion of methane |
| Broderick | R. | 1907 | Cape Breton County | Sydney No. 4 (Scotia) | Struck by runaway box down main slope; 1 of 3 killed |
| Rocker | R. | 1906 | Cape Breton County | International | Fall of stone from roof |
| MacPherson | R. | 1869 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Crushed by coal tubs |
| Gilhomes | R. D. | 1917 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 7 | Run over by trip of cars |
| Strople | Ralph | 1907 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Fall of coal |
| Clarke | Ralph | 1956 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 4 | Electricity-fired coal dust explosion |
| Aylward | Ralph | 1958 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Terrific, devastating bump |
| Carter | Ralston | 1935 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Struck by full car on back slope |
| McDonald | Ranald or Ronald | 1911 | Inverness | Inverness | Fall of coal; head crushed |
| House | Randolph Brian | 1992 | Pictou County | Westray | Devastating methane and coal dust explosion |
| Tabor | Raymond | 1958 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Terrific, devastating bump |
| Gallant | Raymond | 1928 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 16 | Killed by rake |
| Collogani | Redolph | 1913 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Jammed between boxes |
| Carter | Reed | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
| MacNeil | Reginald A. | 1979 | Cape Breton County | DEVCO No. 26 | Methane explosion, sparked by coal shearer hitting stone; 1 of 12 killed |
| Drolet | Remi Joseph | 1992 | Pictou County | Westray | Devastating methane and coal dust explosion |
| Penny | Reuben | 1917 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Methane and blasting powder explosion |
| Jewer | Rich. | 1915 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Shunter, killed by car on surface |
| Ashworth | Richard | 1907 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Fall of coal |
| Chase | Richard | 1918 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 9 | Caught between shaft and car |
| Murphy | Richard | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
| Dawson | Richard | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
| Lawlor | Richard | 1914 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Runaway box |
| Clark | Richard | 1935 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Shot blew back exploding methane and coal dust; 1 of 7 killed |
| Piggot | Richard | 1917 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Fall of coal |
| Costigan | Richard | 1892 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 | Struck by timber lowered down slope |
| Skinner | Richard | 1925 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 1B | Fall of stone |
| Fowler | Richard | 1943 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Crushed while working on screens |
| Ellis | Richard | 1956 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 4 | Electricity-fired coal dust explosion |
| White | Richard | 1962 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 26 | Haulage |
| Dixon | Richard | 1938 | Cape Breton County | Princess | Broken cable on riding rake; 1 of 21 killed |
| Gardiner | Richard | 1950 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 1B | Haulage |
| Morrison | Richard | 1938 | Cape Breton County | Princess | Broken cable on riding rake; 1 of 21 killed |
| Wynn | Richard | 1909 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 3 | Pick boy; Run over by full box |
| Butts | Richard | 1917 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Methane and blasting powder explosion |
| Miller | Richard | 1917 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Methane and blasting powder explosion |
| Ferguson | Robenich | 1903 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines Colliery; Nova Scotia Steel & Coal | Fall of stone |
| Perrin | Robert | 1958 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Terrific, devastating bump |
| Cunningham | Robert | 1952 | Pictou County | McGregor | Methane explosion (localized); 1 of 19 killed |
| Baxter | Robert | 1969 | Cape Breton County | DEVCO No. 26 | Fall of stone |
| McNutt | Robert | 1952 | Pictou County | McGregor | Methane explosion (localized); 1 of 19 killed |
| McFadden | Robert | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
| Robertson | Robert | 1896 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Walked in under cage |
| Butt | Robert | 1909 | Cape Breton County | MacKay | Fall of stone |