Episode 352: At 5:18 a.m. on May 9, 1992, in Plymouth, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, in the Westray Mine, a methane gas explosion, followed by a coal dust blast, ripped through the underground tunnels, claiming the lives of 26 miners working the night shift.
The tragedy unfolded against a backdrop of known safety violations and ignored warnings. In the aftermath, a gripping rescue attempt captivated the nation as teams of drägermen braved hazardous conditions in a desperate search for survivors. The bodies of 15 miners were recovered during the initial rescue and recovery efforts. However, the remains of 11 miners were never recovered and remain entombed deep within the mine to this day.
Despite criminal charges being filed against the mine owners and its management, no convictions were secured due to the complexity of establishing legal responsibility. More than ten years later, the federal government introduced amendments to the Criminal Code in response to this tragedy.
Sources:
Coal Mining Fatalities
The Story of Fossil Fuels, Part 1: Coal
World Coal Consumption: Past, Present, and Future
Parks Canada - Beginnings of Coal Mining National Historic Event
Coal in Canada
History of Mining | Mining Museum
Coal in Canada | Canadian Encyclopedia
1860s Accidents | Not Your Grandfathers Mining Industry, Nova Scotia, Canada
A Short History of Blame: The Doctrine of Progress
Canada's Deadliest Mining Disaster - Coal - Alberta's Energy Heritage
Mining Disasters
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Nova Scotia Archives | Mining Disasters
Nova Scotia Archives | Men in the Mines
Coal and Grit
Miners Memorial Day: Davis Day
Stellarton, NS | Canadian Encyclopedia
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The Day the Westray Mine Blew
Westray Coal Mine Disaster | New Scotland
Nova Scotia Archives | The Westray Story | Report of the Westray Mine Public Inquiry Justice K. Peter Richard, Commissioner
Westray.Mine.Public.Inquiry
Death by Consensus: The Westray Story
The Westray Mine Disaster and its Aftermath: The Politics of Causation
1993 CanLII 3278 (NS CA) | Nova Scotia (Commissioner of Inquiries, Westray Mine) v. Phillips | CanLII
1995 CanLII 86 (SCC) | Phillips v. Nova Scotia (Commission of Inquiry into the Westray Mine Tragedy) | CanLII
Westray Verdict
The Westray Disaster
The Road From Westray: A Predictable Path to Disaster? by Eric Tucker
The Westray Story: A Tragic Tale and the Law that Followed
Criminal liability for workplace deaths and injuries – Background on the Westray Law
20th Anniversary of the Westray Law
Westray: 30 Years - USW Canada
Still Dying for a Living by Stephen Bittle
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THe Westray Mine Disaster | Dark Poutine - True Crime and Dark History podcast - Listen or read transcript on Metacast
