Is it fate?

In the last section of Hard Times called "Garnering", we see characters pick up the pieces the harvest/reap of seeds that were missed; in other words, characters make an attempt to restore peace back into their complicated and mend their past life in order to endure their continued journey in life with new, refined resources of a better person. We see in this section those who were true to themselves are rewarded with benefits to their life while those who were deceiving, arrogant were rewarded with the miserable consequences of karma (which is also death). Bounderby's true colors are exposed along with his "inspiring" life story of determination; that story was in fact a lie. That was just an excuse to cover up the true means of the abuse Bounderby faced from his mother. Mrs. Sparsit is sent off to Lady Scadgers, ruining her potential chances of marrying Mr. Bounderby. Tom in fact escapes the consequences of the law but isn't able to erase his guilt of his awful behavior/crime; this essentially brings him to his death. On a happy note, Sissy Jupe (the moral victor of the novel) ends up content with her life.
Oddly so, the only exception to these justices being served is the case of Stephen Blackpool and his beloved Rachael. Stephen Blackpool (who has been absent from Coketown for a while, trying to find work) tries to clear name from this accused fault that he in fact did not commit. He was essentially set up by Tom Gradgrind as a "cover up" for Tom's committed bank robbery on the bank he was apprenticing at. But, on walking back to Coketown, Blackpool falls down the Old Hell Shaft, completing his terminal bad luck and "fate" in life as a Hand in society. Upon his last words spoken to Rachael, Stephen Blackpool dies.
Do you believe that the end result of Stephen Blackpool's life was fair? Do you think this incident was just a mere accident or a matter of fate that resulted in his death? What was Dickens trying to arouse in his audience with the fact of these unfortunate tragedies on this innocent man? How do you feel?