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 17 of 50 pages (2497 entries).
| Surname | Given Name(s) | Year | County |
Mine |
Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vicars | John | 1889 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Fall of loose coal, died after 12 days |
| Cook | Robert | 1881 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Riding on Engine plane |
| Boutilier | John | 1897 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Fall of roof stone |
| McDonald | John | 1890 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Run over by empty trip, died next day |
| McPherson | James | 1897 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Struck by falling piece of coal while hauling |
| Keigan | Angus | 1883 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Run over by coal tub |
| Morrison | Murdock | 1890 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Run over by empty trip |
| Cann | John | 1891 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Killed by cage when descending pit |
| McGowen | Alex | 1886 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Dropped dead at face by heart disease |
| Gillis | Stephen | 1891 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Fell out of cage coming from work |
| Morrison | Daniel | 1886 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Run over by tub due to broken rope |
| Josso | John | 1891 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Fall of coal in room |
| McDonald | John | 1896 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Caught between full trip and prop |
| McIntosh | Dan | 1898 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Fell under trip trying to get on for a ride |
| Gleason | James | 1892 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Fell down shaft while working there |
| MacKinnon | Neil | 1888 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Run over by trip |
| Boutilier | John | 1893 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Firedamp escaped from submerged district; (methane poisoning) |
| Jones | James | 1889 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Explosion of methane |
| Walsh | Patrick | 1893 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Fall of coal from working face |
| Robertson | Robert | 1896 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Walked in under cage |
| McIntosh | Dan | 1908 | Cape Breton County | Sydney & Louisburg Railway (Mine)? | Killed by express train, Glace Bay Crossing |
| MacQueen | Donald John | 1933 | Cape Breton County | Sullivan (Indian Cove) | Runaway Box |
| Conn | James | 1839 | Pictou County | Storr pit | Methane explosion; 1 of 2 killed |
| Lowe | William | 1839 | Pictou County | Storr pit | Methane explosion; 1 of 2 killed |
| MacIntosh | William | 1899 | Pictou County | Six-Foot Seam (became Acadia No.3) | Caught, crushed by revolving drum on hoist |
| Riciselts | Vincent | 1913 | Cape Breton County | Scotia (possibly Cumberland Co.) | Fall of stone |
| Copely | David | 1918 | Cape Breton County | Scotia (Sydney Mines) | Fall of stone |
| Richards | John M. | 1921 | Cape Breton County | Scotia No. 4 | Slipped and fell on travelling road; accident Jan. 4, died Jan. 24. |
| Thurbid | John | 1919 | Cape Breton County | Scotia No. 4 | Fall of stone |
| Riciselts | Vincent | 1913 | Cape Breton County | Scotia (possibly Cumberland Co.) | Fall of stone |
| McNeil | Dan H. | 1912 | Cumberland | Scotia | Fall of stone; also recorded as a casualty - not dead |
| Stephenson | John E. | 1912 | Cumberland | Scotia | Fall of stone |
| Farrell | Sam | 1912 | Cape Breton County | Scotia | Fall of stone; died with another family member |
| Farrell | Sebastien | 1912 | Cape Breton County | Scotia | Fall of stone; died with another family member |
| McLain | Hector | 1896 | Cape Breton County | Reserve or Gowrie | |
| Jackson | Harry or Henry | 1903 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Methane explosion No.5 S level, French slope |
| Boutilier | W. | 1879 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Taking down coal loosened by shot |
| Lund | John | 1897 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Caught between coal box and pillar |
| O'Hanley | Donald | 1902 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Killed by runaway full box in slope |
| King | Joseph | 1903 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Methane explosion No.5 S level, French slope |
| McLutchy | William | 1890 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Fall of stone from roof, died 5 weeks later |
| McLeod | John | 1902 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Fall of coal from pillar |
| King | William | 1903 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Methane explosion No.5 S level, French slope |
| Power | James | 1902 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Fall of coal, hung shot |
| McNeil | Michael L. | 1903 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Methane explosion No.5 S level, French slope |
| Campbell | John A. | 1907 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Fall of stone |
| Finlayson | John | 1894 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Fall of coal, died 15 days later |
| Whiteway | William | 1903 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Methane explosion No.5 S level, French slope; died from burns 3 days later |
| McKenzie | Archy | 1907 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Fall of coal |
| Stubbert | Foreman | 1884 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Fall of coal |