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 9 of 50 pages (2497 entries).

Surnamesort ascending Given Name(s) Year County Mine Cause
Rooney Ottie or Ronnie 1918 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Stone rolled down fan slope, hit him on head
Roman George 1944 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Struck by box
Rollins John 1938 Cape Breton County Princess Broken cable on riding rake; 1 of 21 killed
Rolfe Ernest 1958 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Terrific, devastating bump
Rogers Herbert 1908 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of coal, died 5 days later
Rogers Thomas 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Rogers Albert 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Rogers Thomas 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Rodgers William 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Rockett Fred 1959 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 16 Haulage
Rocker R. 1906 Cape Breton County International Fall of stone from roof
Robinson or Robertson Hugh 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Robinson Robert 1903 Pictou County Albion Fell under rail car which passed over him
Robertson David 1912 Cape Breton County Queen Fall of coal and stone
Robertson Robert 1896 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess?) Walked in under cage
Robertson James 1861 Pictou County Bye pit Methane explosion
Robertson E. 1915 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 6 Oiler, clothes caught in revolving shaft (on surface)
Roberts Jr Edward 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Roberts John 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Roberts Charles D. 1925 Pictou County Acadia No. 3 (Six-Foot) Carpenter; struck by wood thrown from circular saw
Roberts Edward Sr. 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Roberts Michael 1979 Cape Breton County DEVCO No. 26 Methane explosion, sparked by coal shearer hitting stone; 1 of 12 killed
Roberts Alfred 1947 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 26 Fall of roof
Robbins William F. 1921 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Fall of stone
Robbins James 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Roache or Roche William 1909 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 5 Fall of stone
Roach or Roche James Sr. 1932 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of coal
Roach William 1861 Pictou County Bye pit Methane explosion
Roach Dan 1926 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 10 Fall of stone
Roach John 1900 Cape Breton County Reserve Killed at face of room while loading
Roach David 1959 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 25 Haulage
Roach John 1955 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 16 Fall of stone
Ripley Ira 1906 Cumberland Joggins Fall of top coal
Ripley Clifford 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Ripley Edward 1908 Cumberland Springhill No. 3 Fell into chute
Riley John 1917 Cape Breton County Florence Fall of stone
Riley James 1927 Cape Breton County Princess Squeezed between boxes
Ridgeway George 1915 Cumberland Springhill No. 3 Fall of stone
Ricleslts Vincent 1913 Cumberland Scotia (possibly Cape Breton County) Fall of stone
Rickets John A. 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Killed by fall of coal
Riciselts Vincent 1913 Cape Breton County Scotia (possibly Cumberland Co.) Fall of stone
Riciselts Vincent 1913 Cape Breton County Scotia (possibly Cumberland Co.) Fall of stone
Richmond John A. 1887 Cumberland Springhill Surface Cause not recorded
Richardson Joseph 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Richards John M. 1921 Cape Breton County Scotia No. 4 Slipped and fell on travelling road; accident Jan. 4, died Jan. 24.
Reynolds Silas 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Methane and blasting powder explosion
Reynolds Wesley 1958 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Terrific, devastating bump
Reid Robert 1868 Pictou County Acadia Fall of earth on surface; working on rail line
Reid William 1929 Pictou County McGregor Struck on head by falling jackhammer; died 5 weeks later
Reid William S. 1923 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Bump caused fall of coal

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