Disaster Paves the Way for the Future of Mining

Danger and

Although mine inspections had been passed May 21, the

The emotional toll on families

was immense. Losing so many

	day before the disaster, a	loved ones was devastating,	Image D-01634 courtesy of the BC Archives
Death DIDN’ T	Coroner’ s Jury recommended safety improvements: better dust control, more thorough	yet the miners returned to the dangerous work because it was the best-paying job in town.		Rescuers recovered 127 bodies that were carried and loaded onto the MF & M train for their final journey to Fernie, where they were identified and prepared for burial.
	inspections, safer explosives,	Despite knowing the risks, they
DISCOURAGE	and better training for miners in English. But even these changes	kept digging, bound by a sense of necessity and solidarity.
	couldn’ t prevent explosions. On
	April 5, 1917, another blast killed
RESIDENTS	34 more miners.	“ We shared the feelings of uncertainty and loss of the family who had lost a loved one, knowing full well it could have been us in their position”.		Image D-01631 courtesy of the BC Archives Lacking enough hearses or wagons, most bodies were carried by hand to burial.
		- Grace Dvorak, Coal Creek resident	Image D-01632 courtesy of the BC Archives
You are standing in front of the No. 2 and 3 coal

mine entrances where tragedy struck on May 22, 1902. An explosion ignited by coal dust sent a fireball 300 meters into the sky killing 128 men and boys – some as young as 12! Despite immediate

Fernie & District Historical Society, FMP008

Two days after the explosion, on May 24, multiple funerals were held in Fernie. Some miners were buried in mass graves at St. Margarets Cemetery, located up the hill east of Fernie’ s downtown.

efforts, deadly gases hampered rescue attempts. Fathers, sons, brothers, and neighbours perished together, making it Canada’ s second worst mining disaster until the Hillcrest mine disaster in 1914.

Top left image: Fernie & District Historical Society, FMP0e-03774

AQUATIC CENTRE

FERNIE

MONTANE TRAILHEAD

approx. 1 km

COAL CREEK RD

RIVER RD- Closed to motorized vehicles

Coal Creek Heritage Trail Coal Creek Heritage Trail- Phase 2 Other Trail Road

Road- Closed Sign Locations Points of Interest

Coal Creek Heritage Trail June 2026 | Page 12

Disaster Paves the Way for the Future of Mining

Danger and

Although mine inspections had been passed May 21, the

The emotional toll on families

day before the disaster, a

Image D-01634 courtesy of the BC Archives

Death DIDN’ T

Coroner’ s Jury recommended safety improvements: better dust control, more thorough

yet the miners returned to the

Rescuers recovered 127 bodies that were carried and loaded onto the MF & M train for their final journey to Fernie, where they were identified and prepared for burial.

inspections, safer explosives,

DISCOURAGE

and better training for miners in English. But even these changes

kept digging, bound by a sense of

necessity and solidarity.

couldn’ t prevent explosions. On

RESIDENTS

34 more miners.

“ We shared the feelings of uncertainty and loss of the family who had lost a loved one, knowing full well it could have been us in their position”.

Image D-01631 courtesy of the BC Archives

Lacking enough hearses or wagons, most bodies were carried by hand to burial.

- Grace Dvorak, Coal Creek resident

Image D-01632 courtesy of the BC Archives

You are standing in front of the No. 2 and 3 coal

Fernie & District Historical Society, FMP008

Two days after the explosion, on May 24, multiple funerals were held in Fernie. Some miners were buried in mass graves at St. Margarets Cemetery, located up the hill east of Fernie’ s downtown.

efforts, deadly gases hampered rescue attempts. Fathers, sons, brothers, and neighbours perished together, making it Canada’ s second worst mining disaster until the Hillcrest mine disaster in 1914.

Top left image: Fernie & District Historical Society, FMP0e-03774

AQUATIC CENTRE

MONTANE TRAILHEAD

RIFLE RANGE

AMMONITE TRAIL

YOU ARE HERE 13.3 km

MATHESON FALLS TRAIL