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 13 of 50 pages (2498 entries).

Surname Given Name(s) Yearsort descending County Mine Cause
Lanswood Fred 1902 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 3 Run over by full boxes on slope
Finlay Bart 1902 Cape Breton County Harbour Seam Fall of stone from roof
O'Hanley Donald 1902 Cape Breton County Reserve Killed by runaway full box in slope
Blue John M. 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Caught under descending cage
Nearing Patrick 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1 Fall of coal
Keehn Emile 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Run over by loaded box
Bennett Elijah 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fatally injured, died an hout later
McCuish John 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of stone from roof
McDonald John 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Caught between cage and pulleys
Robinson Robert 1903 Pictou County Albion Fell under rail car which passed over him
McDonald Lauchlin 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Killed by hoisting bucket falling on him
McDonald Dan 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of cage down shaft
McNeil John A. 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Run over by loaded box
Rickets John A. 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Killed by fall of coal
Quann Joseph 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 3 Caught between loaded box and pillar
MacKenzie William 1903 Pictou County Albion Jumped from moving train in mine yard
Jackson Harry or Henry 1903 Cape Breton County Reserve Methane explosion No.5 S level, French slope
King Joseph 1903 Cape Breton County Reserve Methane explosion No.5 S level, French slope
King William 1903 Cape Breton County Reserve Methane explosion No.5 S level, French slope
McNeil Michael L. 1903 Cape Breton County Reserve Methane explosion No.5 S level, French slope
Hamilton William 1903 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines Colliery; Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Killed by runaway trip on slope
Whiteway William 1903 Cape Breton County Reserve Methane explosion No.5 S level, French slope; died from burns 3 days later
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
Stubbert Matthew 1903 Cape Breton County Reserve Mis-shot exploded while he was examining it
Howlett Robert 1903 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines Colliery; Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Fall of stone fractured skull
Merritt John 1903 Inverness Port Hood Riding trip coupling broke hurling boxes against roof
Ferguson Robenich 1903 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines Colliery; Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Fall of stone
Finlay Daniel 1903 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Hit by a rake on the hoisting slope
Ryan John W. 1903 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Fatally injured
McMillan John 1903 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Jammed between roof and box
Cameron J.J. 1903 Inverness Mabou Caught by box on slope
Wilson James 1903 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Fatally hurt by a full rake of boxes
Fisher Henry 1903 Cumberland Springhill No. 3 Fall of coal
Hyatt Percy 1903 Cumberland Springhill No. 3 Killed in return side of fire door conveyors
Purdy Charles L. 1903 Cumberland Springhill No. 3 Fall of rock
Wamboldt Harry 1903 Pictou County Vale Fall of stone at working face
MacLeod James 1903 Pictou County Acadia Died 15 February
Liddle Alex 1904 Cumberland Chignecto Caught between box & coal crib, died 9 days later
Livingstone John 1904 Pictou County Marsh Jammed between a box and the roof
Dunbar John 1904 Pictou County Albion Run over by a rake
Roy John H. 1904 Pictou County Albion Killed instantly in a fall
McNeil Stephen 1904 Cape Breton County Caledonia Fall of roof coal
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
McDougall John A. 1904 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines Colliery; Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Fall of stone
McLeod John 1904 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Struck by motor
Young Archie 1904 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines Colliery; Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Fall of coal
McNeil John D. 1904 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Methane explosion
McLean Stephen 1904 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines Colliery; Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Fell against pump
Mootery George 1904 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Struck by runaway boxes

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