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 6 of 50 pages (2498 entries).

Surname Given Name(s) Year County Minesort descending Cause
Cameron William Archibald 1912 Pictou County Allan Shaft Caught by revolving wheel on main driving shaft of screen engine under bankhouse
Carroll Frank 1912 Pictou County Allan Shaft
Hayman Arthur 1912 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fell down the shaft 462 feet
Laderie Sylvia 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Lindsay Charles 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
MacEachern James 1935 Pictou County Allan Shaft Shot blew back exploding methane and coal dust; 1 of 7 killed; asphixiation by carbon monoxide
MacMaster John 1925 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of coal from roof of a pillar; 1 of 2 killed
Matheson George 1938 Pictou County Allan Shaft Struck by a railway car on surface
Merrit Edward 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Newcomb William 1911 Pictou County Allan Shaft Killed by a fall of timber
Savage John 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Smith Alexander 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Urquhart Elwood 1927 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of coal from face
Lamb Herbert 1934 Pictou County Allan Shaft Power House Collided with turbine in power house
Hasey Angus 1934 Pictou County Allan Shaft Power House Caught in stoke driver shaft
Conway John 1868 Cape Breton County Aspe Bay Explosion of powder
Gower Frederick 1953 Cape Breton County Beaver Fall of stone
Porter James 1914 Cumberland Black Diamond Thawing Samsonite (possibly a powder brand)
Fraser Alexander 1875 Pictou County Black Diamond Crushed by moving coal tub against a doorpost
Stewart William 1874 Pictou County Black Diamond Fall of coal
Fraser Albert 1890 Pictou County Black Diamond Riding on a coal trip which jumped track
Marsh Thomas 1938 Cape Breton County Bras d'Or Struck by trip
Todd Matther 1941 Cape Breton County Bras d'Or Fall of stone
Beaton Philip 1939 Cape Breton County Bras d'Or No. 1 Caught between 2 cars, died 3 days later
Adair Robert 1921 Cape Breton County Bras d'Or No. 4 Explosion of methane
Collier Alfred 1923 Cape Breton County Bras d'Or No. 4 Fall of coal from roof in room
Cathcart James 1896 Cape Breton County Bridgeport Fall of coal while loading
Crowly Eli 1898 Cape Breton County Bridgeport Fall of roof stone
Campbell David 1913 Cape Breton County Broughton Struck by runaway box
Russell unknown 1858 Pictou County Cage pit Carbon monoxide after methane explosion 1of 2 killed
Harvey Robert 1867 Pictou County Cage pit Gas suffocation
Redpath George 1858 Pictou County Cage pit Methane explosion; 1 of 2 killed
Nicholson Norman 1904 Cape Breton County Caledonia Broken back, died 11 weeks later
Ryan John 1904 Cape Breton County Caledonia Fall of stone from roof
Martell Charles 1873 Cape Breton County Caledonia Crushed by wagons
Doyle John, Sr. 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed
Doyle John, Jr. 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed
Kearney Patrick 1890 Cape Breton County Caledonia Killed by coal fall while loading in room
Grant Albert or Arthur 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed
Ferguson Allen 1896 Cape Breton County Caledonia Struck by part of junk while loading
Johnstone Thomas 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed
Hilliar Joseph 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia
Howie Alexander 1901 Cape Breton County Caledonia Killed by runaway coal wagon in east deep
Martin Donald 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed
McKinnon John 1900 Cape Breton County Caledonia Killed by falling roof stone while driving
McDonald Daniel 1901 Cape Breton County Caledonia Killed by shot going off while firing squib
McAulay Malcolm 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed
Nolan John 1900 Cape Breton County Caledonia Coal fall in room, died next day
McCormick or McCormack Stephen 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed
Ferguson Ronald 1894 Cape Breton County Caledonia Explosion of dynamite while heating it

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