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 48 of 50 pages (2497 entries).
Surname | Given Name(s) | Year | County | Mine | Cause |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Betts | William | 1914 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Boiler explosion in surface plant; 1 of 7 killed |
Bonar | William | 1952 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 20 | Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed |
McLellan | William | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
Long | William | 1901 or 1902 | Cumberland | Jubilee, River Hebert | Bankhead under construction fell on him |
Desmond | William | 1952 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 20 | Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed |
Tracey | William | 1914 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Killed by full trip |
Hall | William | 1937 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 5 | Run over by full box |
Hyde | William | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
Colburn | William | 1910 | Pictou County | Albion | Fall of coal |
Sumners | William | 1872 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines Colliery (Queen pit) | Fell down shaft |
Whittle | William | 1956 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Fall of stone |
Lettuce | William | 1958 | Cape Breton County | Tomson | Explosion |
Carey | William | 1905 | Cape Breton County | New Campbellton | Killed on main slope by the trip |
McLeod | William | 1896 | Cape Breton County | Victoria | Killed by coal fall while removing coal leg |
Peters | William | 1918 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 11 | Killed by main drive-chain on bank, on surface |
Thompson | William | 1924 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Fall of stone and coal |
McLeod | William | 1952 | Pictou County | McGregor | Methane explosion (localized); 1 of 19 killed |
Roache or Roche | William | 1909 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 5 | Fall of stone |
Carmichael | William | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
Muller | William | 1912 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Fall of top coal at face of pillar |
Jones | William | 1928 | Cape Breton County | Florence | Steel railing falling from car |
Kent | William | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
Cann | William | 1942 | Cape Breton County | Princess | Struck by trip |
Fletcher | William | 1883 | Cumberland | Springhill | Killed by fracture of brake bolt |
Carrigan | William | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
Lowe | William | 1839 | Pictou County | Storr pit | Methane explosion; 1 of 2 killed |
Snow | William | 1908 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 6 | Fall of stone |
Munsie | William | 1943 | Pictou County | McGregor | Crushed between a box and a steel boom |
McKenzie | William | 1908 | Inverness | Port Hood | Explosion on No. 3 level south; 1 of 10 killed |
MacKenzie | William | 1903 | Pictou County | Albion | Jumped from moving train in mine yard |
Cherrie | William | 1905 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | killed at the 2400-foot level |
Collins | William | 1943 | Cape Breton County | Princess | Crushed under trip |
Murdock | William | 1880 | Pictou County | Foord pit | Devastating methane explosion |
Oram | William | 1878 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess) | Methane explosion; 1 of 6 killed |
Vokey | William | 1934 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Loose coal from face |
Power | William | 1920 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Fall of coal |
Hubert | William | 1940 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Caught between 2 rail cars on surface |
Stevens | William | 1910 | Cumberland | Chignecto | Explosion |
Parsons | William | 1917 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Methane and blasting powder explosion |
Flemming | William | 1907 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Caught between box and boom |
Stevenson | William | 1917 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Struck by prop, died 3 days later |
Burke | William | 1930 | Cumberland | Victoria No. 2 | Gas explosion; 1 of 7 killed |
McDonald | William | 1937 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Struck by trip |
Jewkes | William | 1958 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Terrific, devastating bump |
Barnes | William | 1943 | Cape Breton County | Tomson | Struck by runaway box |
Henderson | William | 1905 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 3 | Fall of coal |
Sampson | William | 1953 | Cape Breton County | Florence | Haulage |
Cooke | William | 1979 | Cape Breton County | DEVCO No. 26 | Methane explosion, sparked by coal shearer hitting stone; 1 of 12 killed |
Gumatto | William | 1912 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | uncertain if killed; confusing records |
Layton | William | 1937 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Injured while riding trip |