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 4 of 50 pages (2498 entries).

Surname Given Name(s)sort ascending Year County Mine Cause
Burke William 1866 Cape Breton County Caledonia Fall of picks in shaft
King William 1903 Cape Breton County Reserve Methane explosion No.5 S level, French slope
Power William 1920 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of coal
Hubert William 1940 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Caught between 2 rail cars on surface
McLutchy William 1890 Cape Breton County Reserve Fall of stone from roof, died 5 weeks later
Large William 1942 Cape Breton County Princess Fall of stone
Gillespie William 1913 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Caught between box at 4700 bottom
Frew William 1906 Pictou County English Slopes (abandoned) Methane exploded when boy lit match while playing near old slope opening; 1 of 2 killed
Kelloway William 1965 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 20 Haulage: Struck by box
McAldine William 1910 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 4 (Scotia) Fall of stone
McDonald William 1887 Cumberland Springhill Fall of coal from face
Myers William 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Whiteway William 1903 Cape Breton County Reserve Methane explosion No.5 S level, French slope; died from burns 3 days later
Hyde William 1887 Pictou County Vale Caught beneath a roof fall while timbering; 1 of 2 killed
Gumatto William 1912 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 uncertain if killed; confusing records
McSephney William 1955 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Killed by haulage
Carroll William 1910 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1 Jammed between coal hoppers at surface
Thompson William 1924 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of stone and coal
Aldrid William 1907 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Fatally injured while riding in empty trip
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
Betts William 1914 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Boiler explosion in surface plant; 1 of 7 killed
Whittle William 1956 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Fall of stone
Patton William 1883 Cumberland Chignecto Suffocated by carbonic acid (1 of 3 killed)
Stentley William 1914 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of coal
Hachey William 1932 Cumberland Maple Leaf No. 4 Dust and gas explosion; 1 of 5 killed
Carter Willard 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Fanning Willard 1943 Pictou County Albion Fall of coal from face
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
Seward Wilfred 1961 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 26 Haulage
McDonald Wilfred 1952 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 18 Haulage, surface
Theriault Wilfred 1916 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 4 (Scotia) Killed by shot blowing through pillar
Atwood Wilfred 1969 Cape Breton County DEVCO No. 12 Caught on cutting drum of Anderton Shearer
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
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
Sherider Wentzell 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Poloski Wentzell 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Nacas 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
Mills Wayne 1979 Cape Breton County DEVCO No. 26 Methane explosion, sparked by coal shearer hitting stone; 1 of 12 killed
Raeshore Wayne 1982 Cape Breton County Prince

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