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 22 of 50 pages (2498 entries).

Surname Given Name(s)sort ascending Year County Mine Cause
McDonald John A. 1942 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 fall of stone
Foster John A. 1912 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines No. 3 (Florence) Fall of stone
McDonald John A. 1928 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Injured by box
McKinnon John 1st 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Morrison John #2 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
McDonald John #2 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Morrison John #1 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
McDonald John #1 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Tighe John (boy) 1966 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 17 (old Victoria) Methane inhalation; 1 of 2 cousins who went down old slope
Snow John 1972 Cape Breton County DEVCO No. 26
Martin John 1918 Cumberland Jubilee No.2, River Hebert Runaway mine car
Morrison John 1906 Cape Breton County Reserve Fatally injured between boxes on slope
Nearing John 1877 Cape Breton County Lingan Explosion of boiler; 1 of 3 killed
Connors John 1910 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Run over by motor, died a few hours after
Dickson John 1940 Cape Breton County Princess Fall of stone
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
MacLean John 1866 Pictou County Dalhousie pit Fall of coal
Jackson John 1958 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Terrific, devastating bump
MacKeigan John 1922 Cape Breton County Jubilee, River Hebert Fall of roof stone in level, died 21 days later
Savage John 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
McLeod John 1902 Cape Breton County Reserve Fall of coal from pillar
Smart John 1911 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fell under trip of coal
Boutilier John 1897 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess?) Fall of roof stone
Doyle John 1917 Cumberland Kimberly Fall of stone, died 6 days later
Bonar John 1877 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Fall of stone
McDonald John 1890 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess?) Run over by empty trip, died next day
Nicholson John 1881 Pictou County Vale Caught between moving rake & door
Burchell John 1877 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Fell down shaft
McDonald John 1900 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 4 Fall of stone at head of deep
Leadbeater John 1872 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Powder explosion
Simpson John 1866 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines Colliery (Queen pit) Run over by wagons
Nicholson John 1883 Pictou County Vale Drawbar broke, crash of runaway slope rake
Hussey John 1931 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of coal and roof
MacLean John 1902 Pictou County Albion Jammed between rail cars on surface
Cann John 1891 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess?) Killed by cage when descending pit
McDonald John 1918 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 9 Runaway car, died 6 days later
Rose John 1949 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1B Fall of stone
Crain John 1909 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 3 Fall of stone
MacDonald John 1915 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Run over by a trip of coal
McGillivray John 1953 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1B Haulage
Hayden John 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Horn John 1900 Cape Breton County Reserve Fall of coal whilst drawing pillars; 1 of 2 killed
McLeod John 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Methane and blasting powder explosion
Babb John 1924 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 24 Fall of stone; 1 of 2 killed
McDonald John 1896 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess?) Caught between full trip and prop
Hunter John 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Arsenault John 1931 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 14 Caught between box and prop
Maddison John 1958 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Terrific, devastating bump
Josso John 1891 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess?) Fall of coal in room

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