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) |
Year | County | Mine | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campbell | William | 1884 | Pictou County | Albion | Premature explosion of a shot |
| Roach | William | 1861 | Pictou County | Bye pit | Methane explosion |
| O'Brien | William | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
| Simpson | William | 1899 | Cape Breton County | Caledonia | Afterdamp from methane explosion; 1 of 11 killed |
| Stewart | William | 1874 | Pictou County | Black Diamond | Fall of coal |
| Snow | William | 1917 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 12 | Methane and blasting powder explosion |
| Dunbar | William | 1880 | Pictou County | Foord pit | Devastating methane explosion |
| Gumatto | William | 1912 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | uncertain if killed; confusing records |
| McSephney | William | 1955 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Killed by haulage |
| Wilkie | William | 1938 | Cape Breton County | Princess | Broken cable on riding rake; 1 of 21 killed |
| Cooke | William | 1979 | Cape Breton County | DEVCO No. 26 | Methane explosion, sparked by coal shearer hitting stone; 1 of 12 killed |
| Main | William | 1919 | Cumberland | St. George | Struck by runaway box |
| Whittle | William | 1956 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Fall of stone |
| Hamilton | William | 1950 | Pictou County | Albion | Fall of coal |
| Luffman | William | 1938 | Cape Breton County | Princess | Broken cable on riding rake; 1 of 21 killed |
| McDonald | William | 1887 | Cumberland | Springhill | Fall of coal from face |
| Cherrie | William | 1905 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | killed at the 2400-foot level |
| Long | William | 1901 or 1902 | Cumberland | Jubilee, River Hebert | Bankhead under construction fell on him |
| Driscol or Driscoll | William | 1926 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 1B | Slipped from car, wheels passed over him |
| Paterson | William | 1912 | Cape Breton County | Princess | Fall of coal |
| Partner | William | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
| Stevenson | William | 1917 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Struck by prop, died 3 days later |
| Hannaham or Hanrahan | William | 1883 | Pictou County | Vale | Drawbar broke, crash of runaway slope rake |
| Morrison | William | 1913 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 8 | Struck by box |
| Henderson | William | 1905 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 3 | Fall of coal |
| Willis | William | 1899 | Cape Breton County | Sydney Mines (Princess) | Fall of roof stone whilst driving |
| Blake | William | 1952 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 20 | Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed |
| McLeod | William | 1896 | Cape Breton County | Victoria | Killed by coal fall while removing coal leg |
| McKee | William | 1891 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 & No. 2 | Gas and coal dust explosion |
| Carey | William | 1905 | Cape Breton County | New Campbellton | Killed on main slope by the trip |
| Rodgers | William | 1873 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Devastating methane explosion |
| Bonar | William | 1952 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 20 | Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed |
| Elliott | William | 1873 | Pictou County | Drummond mine (Intercolonial) | Devastating methane explosion |
| Jones | William | 1928 | Cape Breton County | Florence | Steel railing falling from car |
| Andrews | William | 1873 | Cape Breton County | Gowrie | Fall of coal |
| Thompson | William | 1924 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 2 | Fall of stone and coal |
| Desmond | William | 1952 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 20 | Methane explosion; 1 of 7 killed |
| Roache or Roche | William | 1909 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 5 | Fall of stone |
| Lettuce | William | 1958 | Cape Breton County | Tomson | Explosion |
| Milburn | William | 1895 or 1896 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 1 slope | Thrown from cage |
| Cyr | William | 1920 | Pictou County | Drummond No. 5 (Intercolonial No. 5) | Run over by an empty box |
| Dixon | William | 1918 | Cape Breton County | Jubilee, Sydney Mines | Runaway trip |
| McLellan | William | 1918 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Devastating methane explosion |
| Horne or Horone | William | 1895 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Fall from roof |
| Lewis | William | 1880 | Pictou County | Foord pit | Devastating methane explosion |
| MacLeod | William | 1959 | Cape Breton County | Dominion No. 16 | Fall of stone |
| Penny | William | 1928 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Fall of coal |
| Muller | William | 1912 | Pictou County | Allan Shaft | Fall of top coal at face of pillar |
| Jewkes | William | 1958 | Cumberland | Springhill No. 2 | Terrific, devastating bump |
| Ludlow | William | 1969 | Cape Breton County | DEVCO No. 26 | Haulage |