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 2 of 50 pages (2497 entries).
| Surname |
Given Name(s) |
Year | County | Mine | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll | William | 1910 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 1 | Jammed between coal hoppers at surface |
| McLellan | William | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
| Aldrid | William | 1907 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess) | Fatally injured while riding in empty trip |
| Tracey | William | 1914 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Killed by full trip |
| Turnbull | William | 1958 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Terrific, devastating bump |
| Elliott | William | 1873 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Devastating methane explosion |
| Hall | William | 1918 | Cumberland | Joggins | Fall of stone, died 14 hours later |
| McDonald | William | 1937 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Struck by trip |
| Barnes | William | 1943 | Cape Breton County | Tomson | Struck by runaway box |
| Cyr | William | 1920 | Pictou County | Drummond No. 5 (Intercolonial No. 5) | Run over by an empty box |
| Gadd | William | 1917 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Methane and blasting powder explosion |
| Layton | William | 1937 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Injured while riding trip |
| Spencer | William | 1897 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 1 | Burned by compressed powder |
| Holm | William | 1943 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 16 | Fall of stone |
| Hamilton | William | 1950 | Pictou County | Albion | Fall of coal |
| McNamara | William | 1877 | Cape Breton County | Lingan | Explosion of boiler; 1 of 3 killed |
| McLeod | William | 1952 | Pictou County | McGregor | Methane explosion (localized); 1 of 19 killed |
| Driscol or Driscoll | William | 1926 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 1B | Slipped from car, wheels passed over him |
| Muller | William | 1912 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Fall of top coal at face of pillar |
| Stewart | William | 1874 | Pictou County | Black Diamond | Fall of coal |
| McLutchy | William | 1890 | Cape Breton County | Reserve | Fall of stone from roof, died 5 weeks later |
| McKee | William | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
| Burke | William | 1866 | Cape Breton County | Caledonia | Fall of picks in shaft |
| McSephney | William | 1955 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Killed by haulage |
| Hannaham or Hanrahan | William | 1883 | Pictou County | Vale | Drawbar broke, crash of runaway slope rake |
| Main | William | 1919 | Cumberland | St. George | Struck by runaway box |
| Snow | William | 1917 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Methane and blasting powder explosion |
| Wilkie | William | 1938 | Cape Breton County | Princess | Broken cable on riding rake; 1 of 21 killed |
| Whittle | William | 1956 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Fall of stone |
| Blake | William | 1952 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 20 | Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed |
| Thompson | William | 1924 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Fall of stone and coal |
| Long | William | 1901 or 1902 | Cumberland | Jubilee, River Hebert | Bankhead under construction fell on him |
| Munsie | William | 1943 | Pictou County | McGregor | Crushed between a box and a steel boom |
| Jones | William | 1928 | Cape Breton County | Florence | Steel railing falling from car |
| Frew | William | 1906 | Pictou County | English Slopes (abandoned) | Methane exploded when boy lit match while playing near old slope opening; 1 of 2 killed |
| Bonar | William | 1952 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 20 | Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed |
| Luffman | William | 1938 | Cape Breton County | Princess | Broken cable on riding rake; 1 of 21 killed |
| MacLeod | William | 1959 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 16 | Fall of stone |
| Murdock | William | 1880 | Pictou County | Foord pit | Devastating methane explosion |
| Cherrie | William | 1905 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | killed at the 2400-foot level |
| Desmond | William | 1952 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 20 | Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed |
| Ludlow | William | 1969 | Cape Breton County | DEVCO No. 26 | Haulage |
| Burchill or Birchill | William | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
| Stevenson | William | 1917 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Struck by prop, died 3 days later |
| Sumners | William | 1872 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines Colliery (Queen pit) | Fell down shaft |
| Lewis | William | 1880 | Pictou County | Foord pit | Devastating methane explosion |
| Lettuce | William | 1958 | Cape Breton County | Tomson | Explosion |
| Power | William | 1920 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Fall of coal |
| Baxter | William | 1910 | Pictou County | Albion | Fall of coal |
| Henderson | William | 1905 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 3 | Fall of coal |