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 49 of 50 pages (2497 entries).
| Surname |
Given Name(s) |
Year | County | Mine | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colburn | William | 1910 | Pictou County | Albion | Fall of coal |
| Whiteway | William | 1903 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Methane explosion No.5 S level, French slope; died from burns 3 days later |
| Jones | William | 1928 | Cape Breton County | Florence | Steel railing falling from car |
| Aldrid | William | 1907 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess) | Fatally injured while riding in empty trip |
| Thompson | William | 1924 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Fall of stone and coal |
| Mintis | William | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
| Gillespie | William | 1913 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Caught between box at 4700 bottom |
| Hannaham or Hanrahan | William | 1883 | Pictou County | Vale | Drawbar broke, crash of runaway slope rake |
| McSephney | William | 1955 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Killed by haulage |
| Reid | William | 1929 | Pictou County | McGregor | Struck on head by falling jackhammer; died 5 weeks later |
| McDonald | William | 1887 | Cumberland | Springhill | Fall of coal from face |
| Mirtan | William | 1872 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Powder explosion |
| MacLeod | William | 1959 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 16 | Fall of stone |
| Willis | William | 1899 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess) | Fall of roof stone whilst driving |
| Ludlow | William | 1969 | Cape Breton County | DEVCO No. 26 | Haulage |
| Turnbull | William | 1873 | Pictou County | Vale | Under a falling derrick |
| White | William | 1930 | Cumberland | Victoria No. 2 | Gas explosion; 1 of 7 killed |
| Whittle | William | 1956 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Fall of stone |
| Roach | William | 1861 | Pictou County | Bye pit | Methane explosion |
| Hall | William | 1937 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 5 | Run over by full box |
| O'Brien | William | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
| McCallum | William | 1931 | Cumberland | Victoria No. 4 (Bright Light Mine) | Went over surface dump with car |
| Baxter | William | 1910 | Pictou County | Albion | Fall of coal |
| Andrews | William | 1873 | Cape Breton County | Gowrie | Fall of coal |
| Cann | William | 1942 | Cape Breton County | Princess | Struck by trip |
| Gadd | William | 1917 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Methane and blasting powder explosion |
| McKee | William | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
| Gumatto | William | 1912 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | uncertain if killed; confusing records |
| Hurley | William | 1913 | Cumberland | Lawson | Tube of boiler burst |
| Lewis | William | 1880 | Pictou County | Foord pit | Devastating methane explosion |
| Snow | William | 1917 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Methane and blasting powder explosion |
| Blake | William | 1952 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 20 | Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed |
| Partner | William | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
| Paterson | William | 1912 | Cape Breton County | Princess | Fall of coal |
| Cherrie | William | 1905 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | killed at the 2400-foot level |
| Spencer | William | 1897 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 1 | Burned by compressed powder |
| Bonar | William | 1952 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 20 | Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed |
| Morrison | William | 1913 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 8 | Struck by box |
| McNamara | William | 1877 | Cape Breton County | Lingan | Explosion of boiler; 1 of 3 killed |
| Kelloway | William | 1965 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 20 | Haulage: Struck by box |
| Vokey | William | 1934 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Loose coal from face |
| Burchill or Birchill | William | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
| Snow | William | 1930 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Struck head on roof when box jumped track |
| Desmond | William | 1952 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 20 | Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed |
| Campbell | William | 1884 | Pictou County | Albion | Premature explosion of a shot |
| McLutchy | William | 1890 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Fall of stone from roof, died 5 weeks later |
| Kendell | William | 1929 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 16 | Fall of stone |
| Rodgers | William | 1873 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Devastating methane explosion |
| Lettuce | William | 1958 | Cape Breton County | Tomson | Explosion |
| Burke | William | 1866 | Cape Breton County | Caledonia | Fall of picks in shaft |