1917 Coal Creek Mine Disaster
An explosion at the No. 3 Mine at Coal Creek, BC on April 5, 1917 instantly killed all 34 men working underground. The disaster profoundly affected the community. Investigations into the cause of the explosion yielded no clear explanation, and demands for a judicial inquiry were dismissed.
Miners subsequently pressed for a single-shift system to allow gases to dissipate safely, especially in the hazardous No. 1 East mine. Despite their union’s executive initially pledging no action until October, miners at Coal Creek, adopting the slogan “Safety First,” voted to strike immediately on September 5, 1917 following another heavy bump in the No. 1 East mine. This strike focused solely on safety, which the Crow’s Nest Pass Coal Company viewed as its sole prerogative.
The strike faced complexities due to the company’s refusal to negotiate while miners were striking and the federal government’s control over coal mines during wartime. After protracted negotiations involving provincial and federal officials, Commissioner W.H. Armstrong eventually ordered the company to reopen the mines on a single-shift system. Miners agreed and returned to work on October 8, 1917.
The 1917 Coal Creek disaster and the subsequent strike led to a crucial outcome: miners gained a meaningful voice in mine safety matters.
This booklet was written by Wayne Norton in 2017 and published to coincide with the installation of a heritage plaque recognizing this incident. The plaque is installed in the Fernie City Hall garden, 501 – 3rd Avenue, Fernie BC.