The manger arrived on the scene soon after and along with others, restored the ventilation, explored the workings and discovered the bodies of Robert Hughes and David Evans at the face of Lloyd’s stall, off Joseph Lloyd’s heading, and the bodies of  E.J.Cheek, William Jones and O.H. Williams of Lloyd’s heading. These were all  the men in the district at the time. The other five had been taken to clear a fall and do some repair work on the main drift.

Those who lost their lives were-

William Eustace aged 19 years, labourer,
W.J. Strange aged 17 years, labourer,
Edward Williams aged 38 years, haulier,
R.T. Hughes aged 19 years, labourer,
David Evans aged 17 years, labourer,
E.J. Cheek aged 24 years, repairer,
William Jones aged 30 years, repairer and
O.H. Williams aged 48, labourer.

Mr. Gray, H.M. Inspector of Mines for the District, was at the Windsor Colliery when he heard of the disaster and caught the first available train and arrived at the colliery at about 2 p.m. and met the agent and the deputy agent with whom he had a consultation before descending.

A good sized passage had been made through the fall on the main drift through which adequate ventilation was passing.

They found a smell of afterdamp about 40 yards before they reached Gwilym’s level and found that the two separator doors had been blown out towards the main drift. There was evidence of great heat in this level all the way to the face. At the face of Lloyd’s stall, where two bodies had been found, they found a safety lamp with the gauze off. Two days later another lamp with part of the gauze removed was discovered where three bodies had been found.

The inquest took place on the10th. June and the jury brought in the following verdict-

“The jury find that the deceased met their deaths by an explosion of firedamp whilst following their occupation at the eastern workings off the west main drift of the No.2 Pit, Fochriw. That the fall in the main drift took place on Tuesday night, June, 3rd., caused an accumulation of gas interfering with the ventilation of the workings in question. That the evidence points to one or the other of the open lamps found as the cause of the explosion. The jury are of the opinion that when the fall took place the better course of action would have been to have withdrawn the men. We recommend the adoption of
lamps for use in the pit fitted with a more secure type lock.”

Mr. Gray thought the explosion was brought about in the following manner-“The fall in the main drift was of such a nature that the quantity of air which would find its way through it and over the timbers would be very small, and not sufficient to keep the workings clear of firedamp, therefore in four or five hours a quantity of firedamp would accumulate, which would, after a sufficient opening had been made through the fall, thus increasing the air current, be carried up the face, and be ignited at the naked light at the face of Lloyd’s stall.”