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 29 of 50 pages (2498 entries).

Surname Given Name(s)sort descending Year County Mine Cause
Cherpack John 1944 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1B Runaway trip; 1 of 3 killed
Arsenault John 1931 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 14 Caught between box and prop
McEachern John 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
McDonald John 1918 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 9 Runaway car, died 6 days later
Morrison John 1947 Cape Breton County Greener Fall of roof
Martin John 1894 Cape Breton County Reserve Piece of coal from roof
McDonald John 1950 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 4 Fall of coal
Blois John 1959 Cape Breton County Four Star Fall of stone
Scully or Soully John 1885 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 Run over by cage
Dunbar John 1904 Pictou County Albion Run over by a rake
McDonald John 1899 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1 Fall of stone at face of room
Beaver John 1954 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 25 Fall of stone; 1 of 2 killed
Dickson John 1940 Cape Breton County Princess Fall of stone
Livingstone John 1904 Pictou County Marsh Jammed between a box and the roof
McLeod John 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Methane and blasting powder explosion
Lee John 1908 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 3 Fall of stone
Crawford John 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Milley John 1900 Cumberland Springhill No. 3 Struck and run over by rake on main slope
Bowens John 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Morrison John 1899 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Fall of coal whilst holing in pillar
MacKay John 1953 Pictou County McGregor Haulage accident: thrown from trip
Murphy John 1915 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 5 Fall of stone
McNaughton John 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Wilson John 1885 Cumberland Syndicate burned by explosion of powder; 1 of 3 killed
Dunn John 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Mitchell John 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Holvia John 1907 Cape Breton County Caledonia Fall of stone
Mailman John 1952 Pictou County McGregor Methane explosion (localized); 1 of 19 killed
Davidson John 1895 Cape Breton County Hub Fell from stage down shaft; 1 of 2 killed
Treige John 1945 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 11 Struck by level trip
Carr John 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
Potts John 1874 Pictou County Foord pit Rope broke on bucket going down pump shaft
Pendergrast John 1928 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Fall of stone
Fergusson John 1887 Cape Breton County Gowrie Fall of roof coal
Manning John 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Murphy John 1929 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of coal
McGilchrist or Gilgrist John 1866 Pictou County Foster pit Clothing caught in hoist winding drum
McNeil John 1887 Cape Breton County Reserve Fall of coal from pillar
McDonald John 1913 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 10 Fall of stone
Tighe John (boy) 1966 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 17 (old Victoria) Methane inhalation; 1 of 2 cousins who went down old slope
Morrison John #1 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
McDonald John #1 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
Morrison John #2 1880 Pictou County Foord pit Devastating methane explosion
McDonald John #2 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
McKinnon John 1st 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
MacNeil John A. 1979 Cape Breton County DEVCO No. 26 Methane explosion, sparked by coal shearer hitting stone; 1 of 12 killed
MacIsaac John A. 1951 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 18A Haulage
McNeil John A. 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Run over by loaded box
Richmond John A. 1887 Cumberland Springhill Surface Cause not recorded
Rickets John A. 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Killed by fall of coal

Pages