Coal Mining Fatalities

This database contains 2498 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 (2498 entries).

Surname Given Name(s)sort descending Year County Mine Cause
Turnbull William 1873 Pictou County Vale Under a falling derrick
White William 1930 Cumberland Victoria No. 2 Gas explosion; 1 of 7 killed
Luffman William 1938 Cape Breton County Princess Broken cable on riding rake; 1 of 21 killed
McCallum William 1931 Cumberland Victoria No. 4 (Bright Light Mine) Went over surface dump with car
Partner William 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Hurley William 1913 Cumberland Lawson Tube of boiler burst
Gadd William 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Methane and blasting powder explosion
Hyde William 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Hubert William 1940 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Caught between 2 rail cars on surface
Kelloway William 1965 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 20 Haulage: Struck by box
Carmichael William 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Frew William 1906 Pictou County English Slopes (abandoned) Methane exploded when boy lit match while playing near old slope opening; 1 of 2 killed
Carey William 1905 Cape Breton County New Campbellton Killed on main slope by the trip
Carrigan William 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
Cherrie William 1905 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 killed at the 2400-foot level
Rodgers William 1873 Pictou County Drummond mine (Intercolonial) Devastating methane explosion
McLeod William 1896 Cape Breton County Victoria Killed by coal fall while removing coal leg
Kent William 1891 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 Gas and coal dust explosion
McSephney William 1955 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Killed by haulage
Hyde William 1887 Pictou County Vale Caught beneath a roof fall while timbering; 1 of 2 killed
Fletcher William 1883 Cumberland Springhill Killed by fracture of brake bolt
Smith William 1958 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Terrific, devastating bump
Roache or Roche William 1909 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 5 Fall of stone
Blake William 1952 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 20 Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed
Ince William 1938 Pictou County Acadia No. 7 (Moss mine) Caught by fall of rock
Snow William 1917 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 12 Methane and blasting powder explosion
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
Stevenson William 1917 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Struck by prop, died 3 days later
Whittle William 1956 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Fall of stone
Stevenson William 1958 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Terrific, devastating bump
Desmond William 1952 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 20 Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed
Oram William 1878 Cape Breton County Sydney Mines (Princess) Methane explosion; 1 of 6 killed
McLellan William 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Henderson William 1905 Cumberland Springhill No. 3 Fall of coal
Gumatto William 1912 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 2 uncertain if killed; confusing records
Lettuce William 1958 Cape Breton County Tomson Explosion
McKenzie William 1908 Inverness Port Hood Explosion on No. 3 level south; 1 of 10 killed
Colburn William 1910 Pictou County Albion Fall of coal
Patton William 1883 Cumberland Chignecto Suffocated by carbonic acid (1 of 3 killed)
McLeod William 1952 Pictou County McGregor Methane explosion (localized); 1 of 19 killed
Stentley William 1914 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of coal
Muller William 1912 Pictou County Allan Shaft Fall of top coal at face of pillar
Snow William 1908 Cape Breton County Dominion No. 6 Fall of stone
Hachey William 1932 Cumberland Maple Leaf No. 4 Dust and gas explosion; 1 of 5 killed
Milburn William 1895 or 1896 Cumberland Springhill No. 1 slope Thrown from cage
Hamilton William 1950 Pictou County Albion Fall of coal
Walsh William 1918 Pictou County Allan Shaft Devastating methane explosion
Turnbull William 1958 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Terrific, devastating bump
Horne or Horone William 1895 Cumberland Springhill No. 2 Fall from roof

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