PLYMOUTH — 1992 · Major Tragedy
The Westray Mine Disaster
At 5:18 am on 9 May 1992, methane gas ignited in the Westray coal mine in Pictou County, Nova Scotia, setting off a massive coal-dust explosion. All 26 miners working underground were killed; a week of rescue efforts found no survivors. The mine had opened only eight months earlier despite a legislator's warning about its dangers. The public inquiry report published in 1997 found that the mine had been mismanaged, worker safety ignored and regulatory oversight inadequate. A criminal case against two managers was dropped in 1998. The disaster led to the 2004 'Westray Law', which introduced criminal liability for corporations and their managers.
- Date
- 1992
- Place
- Nova Scotia, Canada, Plymouth, CA
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 45.5800, -62.6300 ↗
Timeline of Events
- September 1991The Westray mine opened.
- 9 May 1992A methane explosion killed all 26 miners underground.
- December 1997The public inquiry report exposed mismanagement and negligence.
- 1998The criminal case against managers was dropped; the mine was sealed.
- 2004The 'Westray Law' came into force.
Sources
- CBC News — Westray remembered: explosion killed 26 N.S. coal miners in 1992 cbc.ca ↗
- The New York Times — 26 miners killed in explosion in Nova Scotia (1992) nytimes.com ↗
- Wikipedia — Westray Mine en.wikipedia.org ↗
- CBC News
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.