CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTORY

II. GENERAL
Management
Output and Persons Employed
Seams Worked and Method of Working
The Duckbill District
Ventilation
Lighting
Precautions against Coal Dust

III. NARRATIVE OF THE EXPLOSION
General
Discovery and Preliminary Exploration
Rescue and Recovery
Investigation of the Affected Area:
(a) Method
(b) Conditions on the Roads
(c) Conditions on the Longwall Face
(d) Passage of Flame
(e) Direction of Blast

IV. CAUSE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXPLOSION
Point of Origin
Means of Ignition
Explosive Medium
(a) Source of Firedamp
(b) Emission of Firedamp
Spread of the Explosion
Summary of Conclusions as to Cause and Development

V. COMMENTS ON THE CAUSE AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE EXPLOSION
Firedamp:
(a) Influence of the Method of Working
(b) Influence of the Ventilation
(c) Ignition by Frictional Heating or Sparking
(d) Firedamp Detectors
Coal Dust:
(a) Method of Sampling
(b) Suppression, Removal and Treatment
(c) General
(d) What can be done ?
Casualties to Rescue Workers
Management of the Colliery

VI. CONCLUSIONS

VII. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

APPENDIX I — List of Victims

APPENDIX II — List of Witnesses

PLAN No. 1 — Five Quarter Seam, showing Systems of Ventilation and Conveying.
PLAN No. 2 — Five Quarter Seam, Explosion Area.
PLAN No. 3 — Five Quarter Seam, showing Lines of Force, etc