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 50 of 50 pages (2497 entries).
| Surname |
Given Name(s) |
Year | County | Mine | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnbull | William | 1873 | Pictou County | Vale | Under a falling derrick |
| Betts | William | 1914 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Boiler explosion in surface plant; 1 of 7 killed |
| White | William | 1930 | Cumberland | Victoria No. 2 | Gas explosion; 1 of 7 killed |
| McSephney | William | 1955 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Killed by haulage |
| McDonald | William | 1887 | Cumberland | Springhill | Fall of coal from face |
| Gadd | William | 1917 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Methane and blasting powder explosion |
| Nicholson | William | 1927 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 10 | Squeezed between box and pillar |
| McCallum | William | 1931 | Cumberland | Victoria No. 4 (Bright Light Mine) | Went over surface dump with car |
| Munsie | William | 1943 | Pictou County | McGregor | Crushed between a box and a steel boom |
| Simpson | William | 1899 | Cape Breton County | Caledonia | Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed |
| McGillvary | William 2nd | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
| MacDonald or Greenwood | William A. | 1933 | Pictou County | Milford | Fall of stone |
| Rushton | William A. | 1944 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Fall of coal |
| Cope | William A. | 1922 | Cumberland | Victoria | Caught between roof and car on slope, died 30 days later |
| Cameron | William Archibald | 1912 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Caught by revolving wheel on main driving shaft of screen engine under bankhouse |
| Downs | William B. | 1910 | Pictou County | Albion | Scalded or burned, causes unknown; a machinist making repairs |
| MacDonald | William B. | 1938 | Cape Breton County | Princess | Broken cable on riding rake; 1 of 21 killed |
| Muirhead | William B. | 1912 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Runaway empty box on Drummond #1 slope; 1 of 2 killed |
| Campbell | William C. | 1926 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 14 | Trip of boxes |
| Ross | William D. | 1880 | Pictou County | Foord pit | Devastating methane explosion |
| Robbins | William F. | 1921 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Fall of stone |
| Canning | William G. | 1952 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 4 | Found dead in mine |
| Tower | William H. | 1956 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 4 | Electricity-fired coal dust explosion |
| Strong | William H. | 1878 | Cumberland | Springhill | Killed on surface |
| Turner | William H. | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
| Nelson | William J. | 1929 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Caught between boom and car |
| MacDonald | William J. | 1938 | Cape Breton County | Princess | Broken cable on riding rake; 1 of 21 killed |
| Cottenden | William J. | 1953 | Cumberland | Springhill (Cumberland Railway & Coal) | Electricity, on surface |
| Peach | William J. | 1917 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Methane and blasting powder explosion |
| Maiden | William J. | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
| Mitchell | William James | 1925 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Killed by trip of boxes; 1 of 2 killed |
| Aucoin | William Joseph | 1946 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 16 | Fall of roof |
| Fraser | William K. | 1898 | Cumberland | Springhill Surface | Cause not recorded |
| Cochrane | William L. | 1946 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 4 | Killed by mine machinery |
| Cunningham | William M. | 1897 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 3 | Fall of rock on mail level |
| Terris | William R. | 1952 | Pictou County | McGregor | Killed by haulage |
| Reid | William S. | 1923 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Bump caused fall of coal |
| Marshall | Willian | 1900 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 1 | Caught between cage and roof |
| Deveau | Willie V. | 1966 | Inverness | Evans Mine | Killed by haulage |
| Bates | Willis | 1957 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Haulage |
| McLean | Wilmont | 1959 | Cape Breton County | Princess | Haulage |
| O'Connor | Wilmot | 1939 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Fall of coal |
| Beaton | Wilson | 1943 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 25 | Drowned; 1 of 2 killed |
| Sample | Winton | 1952 | Pictou County | McGregor | Methane explosion (localized); 1 of 19 killed |
| Dickson | Wlliam | 1927 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 7 | Struck by rake |
| Mitetski | Woosyl | 1916 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Fall of coal |
| Wadystan | Wyercbick | 1917 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Methane and blasting powder explosion |