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 6 of 50 pages (2497 entries).

Surname Given Name(s) Year County Minesort descending Cause
Blackwood Thomas 1914 Pictou County Allan Shaft Carbon monoxide after devastating explosion; 1 of 2 killed
Gossens Octav 1920 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of coal
Jordan Norman 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Laite James 1927 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of coal from face
Lipton Dave 1954 Pictou County Allan Shaft watchman, died suddenly at work
MacInnis or MacInnes John Henry 1940 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of roof coal, died 4 days later
MacKenzie Kenneth 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
McAulay Joseph 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Munro Charles 1945 Pictou County Allan Shaft Crushed by full box of coal
Pettipas Fred 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of top coal
Scully James 1924 Pictou County Allan Shaft Carbon monoxide suffocation after explosion; 1 of 4 killed
Smith John J. 1926 Pictou County Allan Shaft Coal fall that had him buried for 2 hours
Vaast August 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Lamb Herbert 1934 Pictou County Allan Shaft Power House Collided with turbine in power house
Hasey Angus 1934 Pictou County Allan Shaft Power House Caught in stoke driver shaft
Conway John 1868 Cape Breton County Aspe Bay Explosion of powder
Gower Frederick 1953 Cape Breton County Beaver Fall of stone
Porter James 1914 Cumberland Black Diamond Thawing Samsonite (possibly a powder brand)
Fraser Alexander 1875 Pictou County Black Diamond Crushed by moving coal tub against a doorpost
Stewart William 1874 Pictou County Black Diamond Fall of coal
Fraser Albert 1890 Pictou County Black Diamond Riding on a coal trip which jumped track
Marsh Thomas 1938 Cape Breton County Bras d'Or Struck by trip
Todd Matther 1941 Cape Breton County Bras d'Or Fall of stone
Beaton Philip 1939 Cape Breton County Bras d'Or No. 1 Caught between 2 cars, died 3 days later
Adair Robert 1921 Cape Breton County Bras d'Or No. 4 Explosion of methane
Collier Alfred 1923 Cape Breton County Bras d'Or No. 4 Fall of coal from roof in room
Cathcart James 1896 Cape Breton County Bridgeport Fall of coal while loading
Crowly Eli 1898 Cape Breton County Bridgeport Fall of roof stone
Campbell David 1913 Cape Breton County Broughton Struck by runaway box
Russell unknown 1858 Pictou County Cage pit Carbon monoxide after methane explosion 1of 2 killed
Harvey Robert 1867 Pictou County Cage pit Gas suffocation
Redpath George 1858 Pictou County Cage pit Methane explosion; 1 of 2 killed
Martell Charles 1873 Cape Breton County Caledonia Crushed by wagons
Doyle John, Sr. 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed
Doyle John, Jr. 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed
Kearney Patrick 1890 Cape Breton County Caledonia Killed by coal fall while loading in room
Grant Albert or Arthur 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed
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
Martin Donald 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed
McKinnon John 1900 Cape Breton County Caledonia Killed by falling roof stone while driving
McDonald Daniel 1901 Cape Breton County Caledonia Killed by shot going off while firing squib
McAulay Malcolm 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed
Nolan John 1900 Cape Breton County Caledonia Coal fall in room, died next day
McCormick or McCormack Stephen 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed
Ferguson Ronald 1894 Cape Breton County Caledonia Explosion of dynamite while heating it
McDonald Alexander 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed
McDonald Neil 1899 Cape Breton County Caledonia Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed

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