Mitcheson soon regained his feet and made his way through the thick atmosphere to the fan which, although dislodged, was still running. He stopped it and then nearby came across Peters in a very shocked condition. Hearing sounds of moaning coming from the Main Drift, they made their way in that direction and about 5 yards inbye from No. 4 Stenton they found Banton, badly injured, lying on the floor between a sided-over tub and displaced metal air tubes. Unable to lift Banton, they decided to get help.

Peters summoned the three Back Drift men who, at the end of the shift, had been dressing in their drift just outbye of No. 4 Stenton when the explosion took place. They were unharmed and quickly reached Banton. whom they lifted into a better position. Leaving his two mates to attend to the injured deputy, Wilkinson continued inbye and soon found Armstrong lying on the floor. Unable to lift him he went outbye along the Main Drift for more assistance and before long met several men coming inbye.

Meanwhile, Mitcheson had gone outbye the Main Drift and there met the overman, William Heyhurst, accompanied by an electrician, J. Fenwick, a fitter, R. Richardson, and an apprentice electrician, W. D. Sewell, coming inbye as a result of having noticed the blast of the explosion.

The overman had already arranged for senior officials, rescue brigades, doctors and ambulances to be summoned and he now took charge of operations, putting Mitcheson and Peters, who were both showing signs of shock, under the charge of two men, and sending for more assistance, including additional first aid equipment.

The overman, Wilkinson and Fenwick went forward to Armstrong, but on reaching him found no signs of life.

First aid dressings were applied to the injuries visible on Banton and Armstrong, who were then conveyed outbye on stretchers to the surface where a general medical practitioner found that both men were dead.

The overman and A. Cooper, deputy in the Loco Drifts district, completely cleared all men from the explosion area and adjacent districts, thereafter keeping in touch by telephone with the surface.

A rescue team from Winscales Central Rescue Station went underground at 9.25 p.m. and went inbye to explore the explosion area. going into the Main Drift without using breathing apparatus under the conditions obtaining. Encountering fumes before long, however, they decided to try the Back Drift and reached the auxiliary fan where they found 3 per cent. of firedamp by flame safety lamp test.

A general examination was then made inbye whilst wearing breathing apparatus and the team reported that :–

A party, consisting of representatives of the Inspectorate, National Coal Board and Workmen’s Organisations, made an inspection about 3½ hours after the explosion, going inbye the Back Drift. It found that canvas separation doors and sheets in Nos. 2 and 3 Stentons had been displaced towards the Back Drift. After repairing this damage, it reached the vicinity of No. 4 Stenton to find that the firedamp content had increased since the examination by the Rescue Brigade. The amount of ventilating current was not sufficient to maintain adequate through ventilation by way of No. 4 Stenton and it was decided to improve the canvas separation doors in the outbye stentons and to obtain compressed air auxiliary fans to ventilate the drifts.

However, little real progress was made in restoring ventilation even up to No. 4 Stenton by Friday, 29th November, firedamp persisting near the roof. The quantity of air passing in the Back Drift just outbye No. 4 Stenton was 7,168 cubic feet per minute compared with 9,480 cubic feet per minute reported at the same point on 25th November, i.e., the day before the explosion. Therefore it was decided to suspend operations so that adjustments could be made during the week-end in the general ventilation of the mine when it was idle, with a view to increasing the amount of air available for the recovery work.

Accordingly, regulators near the shaft bottom in the Main Return airways were opened on the afternoon of Saturday, 30th November, and as a result the total quantity of air measured in the fan drift was increased from 121,680 cubic feet per minute at a water gauge of 4 inches, to 178,470 cubic feet per minute with 3.8 inches of water gauge. whilst the mine was not working. At this time the quantity in the Back Drift at the same point of measurement increased by 5,432 cubic feet per minute to 12,600 cubic feet per minute. During working conditions on Monday, 2nd December, the fan drift and Back Drift quantities were reduced to 168,780 cubic feet per minute and 9,144 cubic feet per minute respectively.

The additional air improved conditions to such an extent that it was possible on 2nd December to make a thorough inspection of the explosion area, including an examination by members of the Safety in Mines Research Establishment who also took samples for microscopical examination to investigate the extent of the spread of the explosion.

The inspection confirmed that, as reported by the rescue team, a round of 26 shots at the face of No. 5 Stenton had not exploded, and therefore that the explosion apparently was not caused by the explosive or detonators.