§ All coal-getting at this colliery had been suspended for some days before Saturday owing to a serious gob fire, and the work underground was confined to the construction of four dams with the object of stopping off the fire. On Saturday morning, about 9 o'clock, while this work was proceeding, an explosion of firedamp inside the dams was apparently communicated to an explosive mixture of firedamp and air outside the dams. The explosion occurred in the neighbourhood of the stoppings in one of the cross-gates and the adjacent face.
As soon as the news reached the surface, rescue and exploration parties were organised by the officials there. Persons engaged at the other dams escaped injury and came out safely. Two were slightly affected by the violence of the blast and lost their lights, but managed to make their way out.
1042 An exploration party found the badly mutilated body of C. Renshaw some distance in-bye. Beyond, heavy falls of roof prevented further access. From the evidence of the violence of the explosion it was concluded that there was no hope of any of the persons (26 in number) engaged further in-bye being alive. Later, about 6 p.m., a further visit was paid to the scene by a party including Mr. Jackson, the Managing Director, Mr. Herbert Smith, President of the Miners' Federation, Mr. J. H. Humphrys, His Majesty's Inspector, and others, the object being solely to confirm the opinion previously formed as to the hopelessness of saving any lives or, for the time being, recovering any more bodies. On this point, I regret to say, there is no room for any doubt.
The Deputy Chief Inspector of Mines has been at the colliery since Saturday afternoon, and the Chief Inspector, who was on leave, has gone there this morning. My staff will continue to keep in close touch with the progress of events.