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 4 of 50 pages (2497 entries).

Surname Given Name(s)sort ascending Year County Mine Cause
Carrigan William 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Lowther William 1900 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Leg broken in fall of stone at working face
Blake William 1952 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 20 Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed
Dixon William 1918 Cape Breton County Jubilee, Sydney Mines Runaway trip
Cargig William 1900 Cumberland Springhill No. 3 Fell on pick handles
Bonar William 1952 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 20 Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed
Jones William 1956 Cumberland Springhill No. 4 On bankhead, Electricity-fired coal dust explosion
Partner William 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Large William 1942 Cape Breton County Princess Fall of stone
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
Sumners William 1872 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines Colliery (Queen pit) Fell down shaft
McKenzie William 1908 Inverness Port Hood Explosion on No. 3 level south; 1 of 10 killed
Rodgers William 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Lettuce William 1958 Cape Breton County Tomson Explosion
MacLeod William 1959 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 16 Fall of stone
MacIntosh William 1899 Pictou County Six-Foot Seam (became Acadia No.3) Caught, crushed by revolving drum on hoist
Ludlow William 1969 Cape Breton County DEVCO No. 26 Haulage
Forrest William 1944 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Fall of stone
Hendricken William 1873 Pictou County Vale Crushed by coal tubs
Stevens William 1910 Cumberland Chignecto Explosion
Burke William 1930 Cumberland Victoria No. 2 Gas explosion; 1 of 7 killed
McLellan William 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Baxter William 1910 Pictou County Albion Fall of coal
Turnbull William 1958 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Terrific, devastating bump
Elliott William 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Fanning Willard 1943 Pictou County Albion Fall of coal from face
Carter Willard 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Stewart Wilkie 1903 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines Colliery; Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Tally boy, age 14; jammed between tub and tipple at pit head
White Wilfred 1930 Cumberland Victoria No. 2 Gas explosion; 1 of 7 killed
Horne Wilfred 1942 Pictou County Drummond No. 5 (Intercolonial No. 5) Fall of stone
Seward Wilfred 1961 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 26 Haulage
Theriault Wilfred 1916 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 4 (Scotia) Killed by shot blowing through pillar
McDonald Wilfred 1952 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 18 Haulage, surface
Atwood Wilfred 1969 Cape Breton County DEVCO No. 12 Caught on cutting drum of Anderton Shearer
Andrews Wilfred 1913 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 6 Fall of stone
Hayman Wilbert 1921 Pictou County McGregor Fall of coal
Hunter Whylie or Wylie 1958 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Terrific, devastating bump
Reynolds Wesley 1958 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Terrific, devastating bump
Thorne Wesley 1959 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 16 Haulage
Hunter Wesley 1954 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Bump; 1 of 5 killed
Schima or Schimo Wenzel 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Methane and blasting powder explosion
Poloski Wentzell 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Nacas Wentzell 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Sherider Wentzell 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Stephens Wendall 1928 Cape Breton County Dominion 1A Caught in conveyor in boiler room
MacLeod Wellington 1921 Pictou County Albion Suffocated by methane under coal fall
Conway Wayne Michael 1992 Pictou County Westray Devastating methane and coal dust explosion
Raeshore Wayne 1982 Cape Breton County Prince
Mills Wayne 1979 Cape Breton County DEVCO No. 26 Methane explosion, sparked by coal shearer hitting stone; 1 of 12 killed

Pages