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264 FOORD ST
Stellarton,
Nova Scotia
B0K 1S0
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Nova Scotia Tourism Region : Northumberland Shore
Description From Owner:
- Settlement began in Irishtown in the 1770s. Colin McKenzie from Scotland had a grant here in 1773. In 1873 Irishtown and nearby Churchtown amalgamated as Plymouth, after Plymouth, England.
- Disaster struck in 1992 when a massive explosion happened 350 metres (1,120 feet) underground at the Westray Coal Mine. When rescue efforts were terminated, 26 miners were dead.
- With permission from 'Nova Scotia Place Names' David E. Scott 2015
Address of this page:
http://ns.ruralroutes.com/PlymouthNewGlasgow
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The Westray Coal Mine Disaster
The Westray Coal Mine at Plymouth opened in 1991 with great political fanfare.
It was in the riding that had elected Brian Mulroney leader of the federal Opposition party and after the Tories won the next election, Elmer Mackay became a federal heavyweight in the riding.
The riding was also home to Nova Scotia premier Donald Cameron. The mine was to deliver coal to a nearby Crown corporation, the Nova Scotia Power Company.
Problems began surfacing as soon as the mine was opened. Workers complained of company cutbacks in safety training and equipment and of negligent and even criminal behaviour toward safety inspections.
"I strongly feel there will be someone killed in the near future," predicted a local union official in a safety report two months before a methane gas and coal dust explosion killed 26 miners.
The bodies of 15 were recovered, but 11 remain entombed.
The company was charged with 52 non-criminal counts of operating an unsafe mine and two mine managers were charged with manslaughter.
Despite a Royal Commission of Inquiry, all charges were eventually dropped.
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