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8. On the morning of the 19th April, at about 8.30 a.m. (the shift having gone to work about 5.30 a.m.), the shot referred to was fired in Hogg's Brow. A "feeder" of gas was set free, and ignited, and despite the efforts of the deputy to extinguish it, the flame apparently rapidly gained ground, and laid hold of the face of the coal. At this time there were 160 persons at work in the pit.

The deputy then caused a message to be sent to the overman, and to the manager. Both these latter proceeded at once to the fire, but could not get nearer than the place marked "B" on the plan.

9. At this point ("B") it was determined to build a brick stopping, with a view of walling in the fire, and depriving it of ventilation. "B" was completed about 2 o'clock, and immediately prior to this, the stopping in the "thirle" (marked "C") was broached. The fire continued, however, to gain ground, and to spread down Hogg's Brow. Some of the witnesses at work on "B" alleged that at this time there occurred a slight explosion "as if the gas had gathered and flashed," to adopt the expression of one witness. The evidence was by no means clear on this point, and the manager stated positively that no such occurrence was reported to him.

10. All the persons in the pit, with the exception of 35 experienced men, were withdrawn at about 11 o'clock.

The manager said that the work being urgent, he deemed 35 men not too large a number to execute his orders, especially as the men could only work in "spells" by reason of the heat of the fire.

Some suggestions were made on behalf of various parties that the number was greatly in excess of the requirements of the works and the demands of prudence, but the experienced experts and managers who gave evidence wholly discountenanced any such suggestion. Moreover, it is clear that until the moment of the explosion no one was in the least apprehensive of such a catastrophe as subsequently occurred.

11. It was attempted to build a stopping at the point "D," but this was not completed as the men were driven back by the fire and smoke, and it became manifest that any attempt to confine the fire to the original working was futile. Operations were, therefore commenced, with a view of entirely sealing up No. 3 District by flooding the syncline formed by the descent of the main dips and the ascent of Hogg's and Gilmour's Brows.

To effect this it was determined to build a stopping in the return drift for the reason that the supply of water was by no means abundant, and if a perfect stopping could be inserted in the return drift, near the point where the regulators above referred to are placed, the flooding required to seal the burning places would be confined to the two drifts forming the syncline, whereas without such stopping the sealing of the fire would require an additional head of water of at least 60 feet. But the smoke pouring through the return drift rendered such an operation only possible if by a change in the air current the smoke could be driven back, and thus access thereto be obtained. In other words it was necessary to convert the "return" into the "intake." Up to this time the ventilation in No. 3 District was normal both as to quantity and velocity from and below the "thirle" broached at "C."

12. At 3 o'clock stoppings were commenced at the points marked respectively S1, S2, and S3 about half-way up the main dip; S1 was finished about 7.30 o'clock, and S2 about the same time. The completion of S1 would, according to the evidence of the manager, cause the air in No. 3 District to lie dead for an approximated time of five or six minutes, and this must be borne in mind in considering the cause of the explosion. Circulation of air in that district would be restored by opening the doors numbered 5 and 6 in the "return" dip, and this was done about 7.30. There was no evidence to show if stopping S3 was ever completed.

13. The natural effect of the completion of S1 would be to cause the air, taking, according to natural laws, the shortest way to the shaft, to pass through the levels to the right of the main dip, but the manager, after the opening of the doors 5 and 6, proceeded into the ways leading to the "return drift," and states positively that the air was passing in considerable quantity and velocity in that direction. He accounted for this, and therein was sustained by the evidence of the experts, by the supposition that the fire had spread down Hogg's Brow to an extent which would provide for its requirements both an "intake" and "return," and thus drew the air towards it with a force sufficient to overcome the natural course thereof.