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 15 of 50 pages (2498 entries).

Surname Given Name(s) Year County Minesort ascending Cause
Nicholson John 1881 Pictou County Vale Caught between moving rake & door
MacDonald Daniel 1873 Pictou County Vale Crushed by coal tubs
Nicholson John 1883 Pictou County Vale Drawbar broke, crash of runaway slope rake
Fosse Jean Baptiste 1876 Pictou County Vale Fall of coal
McEachran or MacEachern James 1883 Pictou County Vale Drawbar broke, crash of runaway slope rake
Grant John 1885 Pictou County Vale Devastating methane explosion
Hendricken William 1873 Pictou County Vale Crushed by coal tubs
McBeth or MacBeath Phillip 1885 Pictou County Vale Devastating methane explosion
Boquet Berry 1892 Pictou County Vale Fall of coal from working face
Grant Dougald 1899 Pictou County Vale Methane explosion by naked light
Spoors Mat 1887 Pictou County Vale Caught beneath a roof fall while timbering; 1 of 2 killed
MacDonald F. 1902 Pictou County Vale Powder explosion; 1 of 2 killed
Taylor John 1873 Pictou County Vale Fall with tub in slope
Campbell Colin 1883 Pictou County Vale Drawbar broke, crash of runaway slope rake
Christopher George 1879 Pictou County Vale Rope broke while on loaded tubs
McNeil Dan 1885 Pictou County Vale Devastating methane explosion
Paul John 1956 Cape Breton County Tomson Explosives
McMullin James 1943 Cape Breton County Tomson Injured while replacing derailed box
Barnes William 1943 Cape Breton County Tomson Struck by runaway box
Lettuce William 1958 Cape Breton County Tomson Explosion
Higgins James William 1980 Pictou County Thorburn Mining Ltd, Stellarton Fell and struck head, died 4 days later; coal dumps reclamation project
Clark Samuel 1925 Pictou County Thom or Tom pit Killed by boxes
Vaast Lucien (boy) 1916 Pictou County Thom or Tom pit Gas explosion at mouth of abandoned slope; boy was chasing a ball
MacLeod Neil 1908 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 5 (Queen) Fall of stone
Burns George 1907 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 5 (Queen) Full box ran over him on main level
Ferrymand Edward 1907 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 5 (Queen) Fall of stone
Haworth Joseph 1909 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 5 (Queen) Fall of stone
McAldine William 1910 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 4 (Scotia) Fall of stone
White Thomas 1914 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 4 (Scotia) Fall of stone
Broderick R. 1907 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 4 (Scotia) Struck by runaway box down main slope; 1 of 3 killed
Nicholson J.W. 1907 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 4 (Scotia) Struck by runaway box down main slope; 1 of 3 killed
Pendergrast Donald 1907 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 4 (Scotia) Struck by runaway box down main slope; 1 of 3 killed
Macmillan Rod 1909 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 4 (Scotia) Fall of stone
Theriault Wilfred 1916 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 4 (Scotia) Killed by shot blowing through pillar
Enion Benjamin 1911 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 3 (Florence) Fall of coal from face
Dawe Andrew 1910 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 3 (Florence) Runaway box knocked out timber he was putting up and stone fell on him
LeBlanc Edward 1906 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 3 (Florence) Struck by moving box
Bond Alexander 1913 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 3 (Florence) Fall of coal
Brown Charles 1907 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 3 (Florence) Fall of stone
Lamond James 1914 Cape Breton County Sydney No. 3 (Florence) Caught between box and prop
Millville Edward 1878 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Methane explosion; 1 of 6 killed
Vickers Edward 1905 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Fall of stone
Vickers Alexander 1906 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Killed trying to jump on a full trip
Baxendale Ellis 1908 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Fall of stone
Oram William 1878 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Methane explosion; 1 of 6 killed
LeBlanc Edward 1906 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Struck by a moving box
D'Orsay John 1908 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Overwind man-shaft cage; 1of 2 killed
McNeil John P. 1906 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Killed by runaway box grab slipping off rope
Stewart Malcolm 1908 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Overwind man-shaft cage; 1of 2 killed
McKinnon F. 1907 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Runaway box inflicted injury causing death

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