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 26 of 50 pages (2498 entries).

Surname Given Name(s)sort ascending Year County Mine Cause
Dragon John 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Burchell John 1877 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Fell down shaft
McDonald John 1900 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 4 Fall of stone at head of deep
MacEachern John 1885 Pictou County Vale Devastating methane explosion
MacEachern John 1935 Pictou County Allan Shaft Shot blew back exploding methane and coal dust; 1 of 7 killed; asphixiation by carbon monoxide
Campbell John 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
McLaughlin John 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Cann John 1891 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess?) Killed by cage when descending pit
Hayden John 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
MacMaster John 1925 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of coal from roof of a pillar; 1 of 2 killed
Burrows John 1897 Cumberland Springhill No. 3 Fall of roof stone on new balance no. 9
McVicar John 1957 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 20 Haulage
Morrison John 1906 Cape Breton County Reserve Fatally injured between boxes on slope
Connors John 1910 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Run over by motor, died a few hours after
Horn John 1900 Cape Breton County Reserve Fall of coal whilst drawing pillars; 1 of 2 killed
McLean John 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Wilsack John 1949 Pictou County McGregor Fall of coal
Hunter John 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Curran John 1923 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of coal from face of room
Czanoli or Czalonic John 1931 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Fall of stone
McDonald John 1896 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess?) Caught between full trip and prop
Capstick John 1960 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 26 Fall of stone
Tabbot John 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Thurbid John 1919 Cape Breton County Scotia No. 4 Fall of stone
Roach John 1955 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 16 Fall of stone
MacDougall John 1927 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of roof, died almost 6 months later
Josso John 1891 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess?) Fall of coal in room
Bennett John 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Haggart Joe or James 1885 Pictou County Vale Devastating methane explosion
Prindle Joe 1906 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of coal from face
Skinner Job 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Hoeg Jesse Havelock 1959 Cumberland Cochran Fall of stone
Armishaw Jesse 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Murphy Jeremiah 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Fosse Jean Baptiste 1876 Pictou County Vale Fall of coal
Wood Jasper E. or R. 1919 Cumberland St. George Fell down slope, died 1 day later
MacDonald Jasper 1926 Pictou County Albion Struck by falling timber prop
Hamilton James Y. 1928 Pictou County Drummond No. 5 (Intercolonial No. 5) Fell head first while timbering the roof when staging collaped under fall of heavy coal lump
Higgins James William 1980 Pictou County Thorburn Mining Ltd, Stellarton Fell and struck head, died 4 days later; coal dumps reclamation project
Fraser James W. 1880 Pictou County Foord pit influx of water; 1 of 6 killed
Casey James W. 1953 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Killed by haulage
McDonald James T. 1905 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 3 Fall of coal from roof
Miller James Sr. 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Roach or Roche James Sr. 1932 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of coal
McDonald James R. 1931 Cape Breton County Florence Fall of coal
Anderson James R. 1979 Cape Breton County DEVCO No. 26 Methane explosion, sparked by coal shearer hitting stone; 1 of 12 killed
Brennan James P. 1952 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Bump; 1 of 2 killed
Keiver James L. 1924 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Fall of stone
McPherson James Jr. 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Burke James J. 1940 Cumberland Victoria Undetermined

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