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 49 of 50 pages (2498 entries).

Surname Given Name(s)sort descending Year County Mine Cause
Reid William 1929 Pictou County McGregor Struck on head by falling jackhammer; died 5 weeks later
Whiteway William 1903 Cape Breton County Reserve Methane explosion No.5 S level, French slope; died from burns 3 days later
McLutchy William 1890 Cape Breton County Reserve Fall of stone from roof, died 5 weeks later
Mirtan William 1872 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Powder explosion
Burke William 1866 Cape Breton County Caledonia Fall of picks in shaft
Cooke William 1979 Cape Breton County DEVCO No. 26 Methane explosion, sparked by coal shearer hitting stone; 1 of 12 killed
Aldrid William 1907 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Fatally injured while riding in empty trip
Long William 1901 or 1902 Cumberland Jubilee, River Hebert Bankhead under construction fell on him
Hall William 1937 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 5 Run over by full box
Hyde William 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Roach William 1861 Pictou County Bye pit Methane explosion
O'Brien William 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Snow William 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Methane and blasting powder explosion
Ferguson William 1956 Cumberland Springhill No. 4 Draegerman; carbon monoxide post explosion
Carmichael William 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Campbell William 1884 Pictou County Albion Premature explosion of a shot
Cann William 1942 Cape Breton County Princess Struck by trip
Kent William 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Fletcher William 1883 Cumberland Springhill Killed by fracture of brake bolt
Carrigan William 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Dunbar William 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Lowther William 1900 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Leg broken in fall of stone at working face
Snow William 1930 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Struck head on roof when box jumped track
Lewis William 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Kendell William 1929 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 16 Fall of stone
Cargig William 1900 Cumberland Springhill No. 3 Fell on pick handles
Sumners William 1872 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines Colliery (Queen pit) Fell down shaft
Hutchinson William 1916 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Killed by cage
Smith William 1958 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Terrific, devastating bump
Blake William 1952 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 20 Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed
Bonar William 1952 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 20 Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed
McKenzie William 1908 Inverness Port Hood Explosion on No. 3 level south; 1 of 10 killed
Partner William 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Jones William 1956 Cumberland Springhill No. 4 On bankhead, Electricity-fired coal dust explosion
Nicholson William 1927 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 10 Squeezed between box and pillar
Desmond William 1952 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 20 Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed
Stevenson William 1958 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Terrific, devastating bump
Vokey William 1934 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Loose coal from face
MacLeod William 1959 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 16 Fall of stone
Rodgers William 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Hamilton William 1903 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines Colliery; Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Killed by runaway trip on slope
Stevens William 1910 Cumberland Chignecto Explosion
Lettuce William 1958 Cape Breton County Tomson Explosion
Burke William 1930 Cumberland Victoria No. 2 Gas explosion; 1 of 7 killed
Ramsay William 1915 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 15 Fall of roof
McDonald William 1937 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Struck by trip
Barnes William 1943 Cape Breton County Tomson Struck by runaway box
MacIntosh William 1899 Pictou County Six-Foot Seam (became Acadia No.3) Caught, crushed by revolving drum on hoist
Forrest William 1944 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Fall of stone
Ludlow William 1969 Cape Breton County DEVCO No. 26 Haulage

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