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 20 of 50 pages (2497 entries).
| Surname |
Given Name(s) |
Year | County | Mine | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitt | Joseph | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
| Gallant | Joseph | 1946 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Fall of roof |
| Berallen | Joseph | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
| 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 |
| McDonald | John Y. | 1902 | Cape Breton County | Caledonia | Fall of coal from face |
| Beaton | John William | 1954 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Killed by haulage |
| McMullin | John William | 1945 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 18 | Fall of stone |
| Fraser | John Walter | 1885 | Pictou County | Vale | Devastating methane explosion |
| Snow | John W. | 1921 | Cape Breton County | Florence | Fall of coal |
| Gouthro | John W. | 1942 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 1B | Struck by trip |
| Burney | John W. | 1901 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Killed by fall of top coal and stone |
| Ryan | John W. | 1903 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Fatally injured |
| Saccrey | John W. | 1915 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 9 | Fall of roof |
| Sweeney | John W. | 1924 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Fall of stone |
| Cameron | John W. | 1946 | Pictou County | Albion | Struck by coal trip on main slope |
| Scott | John W. | 1905 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Killed by trip on turnout |
| McKay | John w. | 1905 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines Colliery; Nova Scotia Steel & Coal | Killed by riding on a trip |
| Haley | John V. | 1931 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Caught between car and timber |
| Holloway | John Thomas | 1954 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 20 | Electricity |
| Bates | John Thomas | 1992 | Pictou County | Westray | Devastating methane and coal dust explosion |
| MacDonald | John T. | 1951 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Fall in shaft |
| Witstanley | John T. | 1920 | Cape Breton County | Florence | Fall of coal |
| Elliott | John T | 1873 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Devastating methane explosion |
| Cullen | John Sr. | 1934 | Pictou County | Albion | Fall of coal |
| McElvie | John Sr | 1873 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Devastating methane explosion |
| Taylor | John S. | 1935 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 1B | Struck by trip |
| MacDonald | John Robert | 1958 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 16 | Fall of stone |
| Whalen | John R. | 1917 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Methane and blasting powder explosion |
| Murphy | John R. | 1914 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 4 | Fall of stone at face |
| Ferguson | John R. | 1927 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 1B | Kicked by a horse |
| Halloran | John Philip | 1992 | Pictou County | Westray | Devastating methane and coal dust explosion |
| McNeil | John P. | 1906 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess) | Killed by runaway box grab slipping off rope |
| Reid | John N. | 1923 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 6 | Accidental dynamite explosion |
| Baudoux | John maybe George | 1930 | Pictou County | Albion (Purvis slope) | Riding an empty trip that derailed; killed by falling timbers and stone |
| Blue | John M. | 1903 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Caught under descending cage |
| Richards | John M. | 1921 | Cape Breton County | Scotia No. 4 | Slipped and fell on travelling road; accident Jan. 4, died Jan. 24. |
| McNeil | John M. | 1914 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Fall of coal at face |
| Fear | John L. | 1954 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Bump; 1 of 5 killed |
| McNeal | John Jr. | 1873 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Devastating methane explosion |
| McElvie | John Jr | 1873 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Devastating methane explosion |
| MacLean | John J. | 1966 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 26 | Haulage: Hit by an empty trip |
| McDonald | John J. | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
| McDougall | John J. | 1928 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 14 | Hit by a small stone |
| MacLean | John J. | 1929 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Electrocuted, fell onto live cable in pump room |
| Johnson | John J. | 1880 | Pictou County | Foord pit | Devastating methane explosion |
| Laffin | John J. | 1905 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Fall of coal from face |
| Gouthro | John J. | 1938 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Struck by empty trip |
| McDonald | john J. | 1927 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 22 | Struck by trip |
| Steele | John J. | 1917 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Methane and blasting powder explosion |