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 43 of 50 pages (2497 entries).

Surname Given Name(s) Year Countysort ascending Mine Cause
Leadbeater Earl 1973 Cape Breton County DEVCO No. 12 Explosion and fire; 1 of 2 killed
Hall Albert 1979 Cape Breton County DEVCO No. 26 Methane explosion, sparked by coal shearer hitting stone; 1 of 12 killed
Conway John 1868 Cape Breton County Aspe Bay Explosion of powder
Downie John 1873 Cape Breton County International Run over by train
McDonald Murdoch 1878 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Methane explosion; 1 of 6 killed
Steele Thomas 1887 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Fall of roof stone
Young Alexander 1893 Cape Breton County Gowrie Fall of roof coal, died 6 days later
Ferguson Allen 1896 Cape Breton County Caledonia Struck by part of junk while loading
Johnstone Thomas 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed
Hilliar Joseph 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia
Howie Alexander 1901 Cape Breton County Caledonia Killed by runaway coal wagon in east deep
Finlay Bart 1902 Cape Breton County Harbour Seam Fall of stone from roof
McDonald Dan 1903 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of cage down shaft
Warren Edward 1904 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of stone from roof
McVarish J. 1905 Cape Breton County Reserve Run over by box
Morrison John 1906 Cape Breton County Reserve Fatally injured between boxes on slope
McMullin John 1907 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of stone
Bartlett John C. 1908 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1 Fall of coal
Johnston James 1908 Cape Breton County Reserve Fatally injured by air pipe bursting, died a month later
Seaman Max 1909 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Electric wire
McLean Dan S. 1910 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 While connecting wire, shotfirer fired
Connors John 1910 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Run over by motor, died a few hours after
Hamilton William 1903 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines Colliery; Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Killed by runaway trip on slope
McLean Dan 1911 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fell under engine
Purchase Harry 1911 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines No. 3 (Florence) Methane explosion and coal dust; 1 of 8 killed
Gumatto William 1912 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 uncertain if killed; confusing records
Graham Alex 1913 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 15 Fall of stone
Geuro Petro 1913 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 6 Struck by box
Gaskin Thomas 1914 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Fall of stone
Flavin Edward 1915 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 5 Fall of stone
Milo Louis 1915 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 16 Killed by runaway box
Johnston James 1916 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 14 Killed by trip
Wasakalius Ant. 1916 Cape Breton County Princess Killed by runaway box
Riley John 1917 Cape Breton County Florence Fall of stone
Curry John 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Methane and blasting powder explosion
Matthews George W. 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Methane and blasting powder explosion
Nicholson Philip 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Rescue work after explosion
Walsh Joseph 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Methane and blasting powder explosion
Copely David 1918 Cape Breton County Scotia (Sydney Mines) Fall of stone
Pohoronz Wasyl 1919 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1 Fall of coal
McInnis Daniel 1920 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 4 Fall of coal
Desmond Frank 1922 Cape Breton County Greener Empty box passed over him, died 28 days later in hospital
Hest Joseph 1922 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 22 Struck by runaway car, near landing
McNeil Michael K. 1923 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Fall of stone in room
McDonald Daniel A. 1925 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1B Killed by coal tipple on bankhead
Martell Louis 1926 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 Falling pit timber
Young James 1927 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Squeezed between prop and trip
Lee Charles 1928 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 11 Fall of coal
Phalen Edward 1928 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1B Fall of stone
McDonald Arch. B. 1929 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 1B Struck by a full box

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