Hillcrest Mine and Cemetery

The worst coal mining disaster in Canada happened in the community of Hillcrest, on the east end of Crowsnest Pass. On June 19, 1914, a pocket of methane gas in the Hillcrest Mine ignited and set off a coal-dust explosion that killed 189 miners. Most of the victims were buried in a mass grave at the Hillcrest Cemetery where a memorial was erected in 2000. It was the worst underground mine disaster in Canadian history. The site is open for self-guided tours throughout the year.