100th anniversary of Coal Creek Disaster
- Sep
- 16
The 100th anniversary of the fatal Coal Creek mine disaster will be recognized in Fernie this weekend.
A bronze plaque has been added to the Miners Walk at City Hall.
Ken Novakowski with the BC Labour Heritage Centre says 34 lives were lost in the 1917 incident.
“They were a number out of hundreds that actually died in that whole region over a number of years in the coal mining industry,” Novakowski says.”
He adds this is part of their effort to commemorate defining events in labour history.
“Its intended to raise the awareness of people that workers like miners and others have often sacrificed their lives to make a living and that was all part of working in British Columbia and trying to build this province into the province that it is today,” Novakowski says.
An explosion also happened at the Coal Creek mine 15 years earlier in 1902, killing 128 people.
Elk Valley Coal Links
- Centerpoint Resources Inc. A mine exploration and development company that owns Bingay Coal.
- City of Fernie The cultural and activity centre of the Elk Valley.
- Crowsnest Pass Coal Mining Ltd. Potential for a significant underground mine operation producing high quality coking coal.
- District of Elkford Founded in 1971 as a home for miners working at Fording Coal.
- District of Sparwood Sparwood, BC is yours and mine to discover!
- Fernie.com Everything you need to know about Fernie BC.
- Grizzly Discoveries Grizzly is a Canadian exploration company exploring for gold and base metal deposits.
- Jameson Resources Ltd. Coal Mountain Coking Coal in Alexander Creek.
- Ktunaxa Nation Working together, managing our lands and resources, within a self-sufficient, self-governing Nation.
- Mining Association of British Columbia Represents the needs and interests of coal, metal, industrial mineral companies and smelters.
- North Coal Ltd. Focused on the exploration and development of the Michel Creek Coking Coal Project.
- Pacific American Coal Ltd. Identified a 257 million tonne JORC resource at its Elko Coking Coal Project
- Teck Coal Canada’s Largest Diversified Resource Company with five active Elk Valley mines.
- United Steelworkers Local 9346 The Trade Union for the hourly employees at Teck Coal Ltd. – Elkview Operations
- Wildsight Working to protect wildlife, water and wild places in Canada’s Columbia and Rocky Mountain regions.