Nova Scotia

Harold Brine, last of 19 miners rescued after 1958 Springhill mine disaster, dead at 91

Brine, who was 26 at the time, was among 12 men who were rescued after spending six days trapped near the bottom of North America's deepest coal mine.

Harold Brine spent 6 days trapped near the bottom of North America's deepest coal mine

A man holds up a photo.
Former Springhill miner Harold Brine poses in his home near Fredericton in an October 2018 handout photo. The photo Brine is holding was taken in the hospital in Springhill, N.S., after his rescue and he carried it in his wallet ever since then. (HO-Wally Hayes/The Canadian Press)

The last surviving miner rescued in October 1958 after one of Nova Scotia's worst coal mine disasters has died.

Harold Brine, who lived in Geary, N.B., was 91 years old.

There were 174 men working in the No. 2 mine in Springhill, N.S., when the mine was jolted by a seismic shock wave that killed 75 miners.

Brine, then 26 years old, was among 12 men who were rescued after spending six days trapped near the bottom of North America's deepest coal mine.

Another seven miners were rescued two days later, making headlines around the world.

In a recent interview, Brine said the thought of being reunited with his wife and two-year-old daughter gave him strength as fellow miners worked around the clock to reach their trapped comrades.

Add some “good” to your morning and evening.

Get the latest top stories from across Nova Scotia in your inbox every weekday.

...

The next issue of CBC Nova Scotia newsletter will soon be in your inbox.

Discover all CBC newsletters in the Subscription Centre.opens new window

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Google Terms of Service apply.