The Inquest which the law demanded took place on Thursday 1st June, the day of the first twenty-seven funerals. It was held at the Stella Staith Inn, near the spot where coal from Stargate was loaded into keels for shipping down-river. A jury was sworn and the Coroner, Michael Hall, presided. Officially the Inquest was into the death of Thomas Liddle, a 40 year old miner who had lived at Stephens Hall, some half-mile from the pit. Liddle's body had been recovered the previous day and his name heads the list of the burials in Ryton Parish Register.

The first witness was a miner named William Waugh, who had been in the pit on Friday. He gave evidence as to its general good state at that time, but he admitted that candles had been in use.

Another miner, John Browell, one of the survivors of the explosion, told his dramatic story. At the time of the explosion Browell had been at the bottom of the shaft. However, he must have been in a comparatively sheltered place for, instead of being carried up the shaft, he was blown four or five yards only, and knocked unconscious. After coming round he found his brother William was nearby and had also survived. Together the brothers had made their way to the surface, crawling over many bodies on the way and hearing many shouts. This evidence, which was corroborated by William Browell, shows that there must have been a tunnel by which it was possible to reach the surface without using the Stargate Pit shaft. As there was no drift associated with the pit in those days, this could only have been a drainage adit (a narrow tunnel used solely to remove unwanted water). One such way did exist, though it seems to have been little known, even only fifty years after the explosion it had been almost forgotten, and when its entrance became blocked with debris, only one old man was able to point out where it was. This tunnel entrance was in the stream bankside a little below Hedgefield House and about a mile from the shaft bottom. The Browells must have had a terrible journey indeed.

Thomas Snowdon, who we have already met as the burglary victim of eight years before, was the brakesman who cranked the winding engine at the top of the shaft, He gave evidence concerning the men blown out of the shaft and said that he saw the body of Thomas Liddle brought up. He was "much burnt" and Snowdon thought the fire would have been the cause of death.

James Hall, the colliery viewer, then gave evidence about the general state of the mine. He said that a passage had still not been effected throughout all the workings and that all to the east of the shaft had been choked up with corves, rollies and stones, When asked about the likely cause of the explosion he could say only that a roof fall must have blocked an air course over the weekend. As the pit was well ventilated the danger was not anticipated.

Evidence was also taken from William Roddam, a horse-keeper who had been brought up unconscious but had made a recovery. Although Roddam had escaped on this occasion, Stargate Pit was to get him eventually, as we will recount later.

Samuel Cooper, an overman, also gave evidence as to the general good state of the mine. He was an older man and since, as will be seen below, his lack of judgment almost caused a repeat of the tragedy five weeks later, too much reliance should not be placed on his evidence.

As the miners who had been asked all stated that they knew of no reason to attach blame to anyone (presumably they hoped to work for Dunns again) the coroner's address to the jury was such that they took little time to return a verdict of "Accidental Death" on Thomas Liddle and, by implication, on all the other victims of the explosion.