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 28 of 50 pages (2497 entries).
Surname |
Given Name(s)![]() |
Year | County | Mine | Cause |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Parsons | James | 1944 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 1B | Runaway trip; 1 of 3 killed |
Scully | James | 1924 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Carbon monoxide suffocation after explosion; 1 of 4 killed |
Dunn | James | 1873 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Devastating methane explosion |
Royal | James | 1938 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 4 | Struck by tub of coal |
Mitchell | James | 1880 | Pictou County | Foord pit | Devastating methane explosion |
Wilson | James | 1902 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Fatally injured by full rake of boxes |
MacEachern | James | 1935 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Shot blew back exploding methane and coal dust; 1 of 7 killed; asphixiation by carbon monoxide |
Gillespie | James | 1929 | Cape Breton County | Florence | Fall of stone |
Wright | James | 1952 | Pictou County | McGregor | Methane explosion (localized); 1 of 19 killed |
Hibbs | James | 1922 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Struck by runaway car in deep |
Morris | James | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
Steele | James | 1936 | Cape Breton County | North Sydney Pier | Falling into pocket |
Jones | James | 1889 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Explosion of methane |
Pembroke | James | 1942 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 16 | Struck by rake |
DeGrace | James | 1902 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 3 | Cause not recorded |
Russell | James | 1934 | Cape Breton County | Princess | Heart failure |
Brown | James | 1914 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Carbon monoxide after devastating explosion; 1 of 2 killed |
Dumphy | James | 1908 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 1 | Fall of coal from face |
Mackey or Mackie | James | 1887 | Cumberland | Springhill | Leg broken; caught by cage in balance |
McIsaac | James | 1948 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Haulage |
Conway | James | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
Napier | James | 1934 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 6 | Fall of stone |
Locke | James | 1919 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Struck by piece of wood |
Hamilton | James | 1911 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 16 | Shot blew through on slant containing water, partly driven between main slope, drowned; 1 of 2 killed |
Power | James | 1902 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Fall of coal, hung shot |
McPherson | James | 1897 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess?) | Struck by falling piece of coal while hauling |
Wilson | James | 1903 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Fatally hurt by a full rake of boxes |
Smith | James | 1901 | Pictou County | Vale | Crushed between a box and a rib |
Stewart | James | 1934 | Cape Breton County | Colonial No. 1 | Struck by coal boxes |
Morrison | James | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
Rose | James | 1928 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Fall of stone |
Morrison | James | 1966 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 20 | Naturel Causes |
Turner | James | 1880 | Pictou County | Acadia | Fall of coal |
Walker | James | 1937 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 10 | Fall of stone |
Robertson | James | 1861 | Pictou County | Bye pit | Methane explosion |
Allen | James | 1961 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 20 | Electrical |
Handrahan | James | 1912 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 1 | Fall of stone from roof |
Boates | James | 1941 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Fall of coal |
Doolan | James | 1930 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 14 | Struck by runaway box |
Dalling | James | 1873 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Devastating methane explosion |
Martel | James | 1958 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 20 | Construction |
Chisholm | James | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
Lammond | James | 1872 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines Colliery (Queen pit) | Fall of stone |
Dunphy | James | 1908 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 1 | Fall of coal from face |
Snellgrove | James | 1930 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 4 | Painter; injured by ventilating fan |
McLellan | James | 1884 | Pictou County | Albion | Struck by a rake |
Porter | James | 1914 | Cumberland | Black Diamond | Thawing Samsonite (possibly a powder brand) |
Nairn | James | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
Burton | James | 1915 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 3 | Fall of stone |
Gillis | James | 1917 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Methane and blasting powder explosion |