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
MacNeil John A. 1963 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 18 Haulage
MacNeil John A. 1979 Cape Breton County DEVCO No. 26 Methane explosion, sparked by coal shearer hitting stone; 1 of 12 killed
McLellan John A. 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
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
Crawford john 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Ellis John 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Brennick John 1870 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines Colliery (Queen pit) Run over by wagon
McLeod John 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Methane and blasting powder explosion
MacKay John 1953 Pictou County McGregor Haulage accident: thrown from trip
McMillan John 1903 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Jammed between roof and box
MacDougall John 1927 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of roof, died almost 6 months later
McEachern John 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Curran John 1923 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of coal from face of room
Lee John 1908 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 3 Fall of stone
Mailman John 1952 Pictou County McGregor Methane explosion (localized); 1 of 19 killed
Williams John 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Emery John 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Green John 1871 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines Colliery (Queen pit) Fall off bridge
Handrigan John 1923 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 14 Fall of stone in pillar work; 1 of 2 killed
O'Handley John 1915 Cape Breton County Dominon No. 11 Killed between box and roof
Matlock John 1937 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 16 Fall of stone
Manning John 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Martin John 1935 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 10 Fall of stone
Holvia John 1907 Cape Breton County Caledonia Fall of stone
Capstick John 1960 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 26 Fall of stone
Ralph John 1937 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of coal
McNeil John 1927 Inverness Inverness No. 1 Crushed by full boxes of coal
Campbell John 1926 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 16 Trip of boxes
Bennett John 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Nairn John 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Rose John 1949 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1B Fall of stone
McGillivray John 1953 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1B Haulage
Merritt John 1903 Inverness Port Hood Riding trip coupling broke hurling boxes against roof
McNaughton John 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Finlayson John 1894 Cape Breton County Reserve Fall of coal, died 15 days later
Dunn John 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Hahnen John 1956 Cumberland Springhill No. 4 Fall of coal
Adams John 1888 Cumberland Springhill Surface Cause not recorded
Martin John 1894 Cape Breton County Reserve Piece of coal from roof
Patten John 1941 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 11 Runaway trip
MacLean John 1953 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 18 Haulage
McDonald John 1899 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1 Fall of stone at face of room
Potts John 1874 Pictou County Foord pit Rope broke on bucket going down pump shaft
Paul John 1956 Cape Breton County Tomson Explosives
Frye John 1914 Pictou County Albion Riding a coal trip that derailed

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