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 2 of 50 pages (2497 entries).

Surname Given Name(s)sort ascending Year County Mine Cause
Muller William 1912 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of top coal at face of pillar
McDonald William 1887 Cumberland Springhill Fall of coal from face
Collins William 1943 Cape Breton County Princess Crushed under trip
MacKenzie William 1903 Pictou County Albion Jumped from moving train in mine yard
Cyr William 1920 Pictou County Drummond No. 5 (Intercolonial No. 5) Run over by an empty box
Driscol or Driscoll William 1926 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1B Slipped from car, wheels passed over him
Hubert William 1940 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Caught between 2 rail cars on surface
Turnbull William 1873 Pictou County Vale Under a falling derrick
Smith William 1958 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Terrific, devastating bump
White William 1930 Cumberland Victoria No. 2 Gas explosion; 1 of 7 killed
Munsie William 1943 Pictou County McGregor Crushed between a box and a steel boom
Large William 1942 Cape Breton County Princess Fall of stone
Lowther William 1900 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Leg broken in fall of stone at working face
Sampson William 1953 Cape Breton County Florence Haulage
McCallum William 1931 Cumberland Victoria No. 4 (Bright Light Mine) Went over surface dump with car
Murdock William 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Spencer William 1897 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1 Burned by compressed powder
Cargig William 1900 Cumberland Springhill No. 3 Fell on pick handles
Hurley William 1913 Cumberland Lawson Tube of boiler burst
Jones William 1956 Cumberland Springhill No. 4 On bankhead, Electricity-fired coal dust explosion
Hyde William 1887 Pictou County Vale Caught beneath a roof fall while timbering; 1 of 2 killed
McLeod William 1896 Cape Breton County Victoria Killed by coal fall while removing coal leg
Gadd William 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Methane and blasting powder explosion
Gumatto William 1912 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 uncertain if killed; confusing records
McKee William 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Carey William 1905 Cape Breton County New Campbellton Killed on main slope by the trip
Roache or Roche William 1909 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 5 Fall of stone
McNamara William 1877 Cape Breton County Lingan Explosion of boiler; 1 of 3 killed
Ince William 1938 Pictou County Acadia No. 7 (Moss mine) Caught by fall of rock
Jones William 1928 Cape Breton County Florence Steel railing falling from car
Stevenson William 1958 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Terrific, devastating bump
Thompson William 1924 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of stone and coal
Frew William 1906 Pictou County English Slopes (abandoned) Methane exploded when boy lit match while playing near old slope opening; 1 of 2 killed
Power William 1920 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of coal
McLutchy William 1890 Cape Breton County Reserve Fall of stone from roof, died 5 weeks later
Burke William 1866 Cape Breton County Caledonia Fall of picks in shaft
Snow William 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Methane and blasting powder explosion
Cooke William 1979 Cape Breton County DEVCO No. 26 Methane explosion, sparked by coal shearer hitting stone; 1 of 12 killed
Oliver William 1944 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 16 Struck by trip
Forrest William 1944 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Fall of stone
Myers William 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Morrison William 1913 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 8 Struck by box
Paterson William 1912 Cape Breton County Princess Fall of coal
Hall William 1937 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 5 Run over by full box
Burchill or Birchill William 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Turnbull William 1958 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Terrific, devastating bump
Snow William 1908 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 6 Fall of stone
Cann William 1942 Cape Breton County Princess Struck by trip
Hamilton William 1950 Pictou County Albion Fall of coal
Colburn William 1910 Pictou County Albion Fall of coal

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