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After the explosion a thorough search for contraband in the district was made by two Inspectors of Mines, accompanied by the Manager and Undermanager and two representatives of the workmen. Cigarettes, matches and one pocket petrol lighter were found, some in the pockets and clothing belonging to the persons killed in the explosion, some in tins hidden near the working places, 26 spent matches and three cigarette ends beneath and behind the deputies' kist, and other contraband lying exposed on the floor near the delivery end of the Straight East gate conveyor.

The points in the district where contraband was found are marked on Plan 1, and I have previously mentioned other contraband found in the clothing on some of the bodies examined at the surface.

The condition of the contraband found at the kist and in clothing and closed tins elsewhere did not indicate smoking on the night of the explosion at these points, but that found openly exposed in the Straight East gate was most significant. It consisted of two whole but slightly damaged cigarettes in an open and damaged cigarette case, three badly damaged cigarettes lying outside the case and a spent match, all lying close together in the full tub track near the loading point. A short distance away there was a whole cigarette which had not been lighted but had one end slightly damaged, as if it had been placed in the mouth ready for lighting. This, in my view, presents conclusive evidence that, in fact, a match was struck at this point immediately before the explosion occurred.

All other likely igniting causes of the explosion can be eliminated. No shotfiring was being carried on at the time; in fact the exploder and shotfiring cable were found stored at the kist, and here the two drillers were discussing with deputy Estell the shots to be fired later by him, when the explosion occurred.

It is most unlikely that any of the electrical apparatus was in operation at the time. In any event it was all of certified type and a thorough examination by Mr. F. T. Hindley, H.M. Electrical Inspector of Mines, of all the equipment revealed no fault that could have been the igniting source; and the signalling bells and telephone receivers, which were impounded and forwarded for test to the Ministry of Fuel and Power Research and Testing Branch at Sheffield, were also found to be in safe working order.

All the twenty-four cap lamps, and the one deputy's flame lamp, were also sent to the Testing Branch at Sheffield, and all but six of the cap lamps were found to be in good lighting order and safe. The damaged lamps were attached to men who had been subjected to violence on the 2nd East gate or the South Heading and the damage in each case was clearly due to the force of the explosion. The flame lamp was also found to be in safe working order, and ignition by any of these lamps can therefore be ruled out.

As it is known that under certain conditions it is possible to obtain sparking at a leaking compressed air joint or hose, the compressed air pump on the East face line and the pipe mains throughout the district were carefully tested and found to be in good order after the explosion.

Conclusions.

I have accordingly come to the conclusion that during the night shift of Friday, 22nd August, 1947, there was an emission of firedamp from the strata below the Hutton Seam, which created an inflammable mixture of firedamp and air on the East face line and the Straight East gate; that shortly before midnight a lucifer match struck about the loading point on the Straight East gate for the purpose of lighting a cigarette ignited this mixture and initiated a very mild firedamp explosion, which developed additional force as it progressed and which was propagated by coal dust along the mechanised roadways, both existing and disused, throughout the district ; and that the explosion was finally extinguished by stonedust on the South Heading and the Main Drift.