Happened in a limited working lately win by a stone mine, and in the act of being opened up. The deceased had worked a day shift and left about midday. On their return in the afternoon they were the only persons in the pit, and after having been engaged for about three hours brushing their roadway, they proceeded to a wall a short distance from their own, and ignited some firedamp which had collected in it from the time of the day workmen leaving, about three hours and a half before. Both were burned, and though not supposed to be dangerously ill, they died from the effects of their injuries two weeks after.

The deceased who were engaged in a limited working had left off work on the day of the accident about midday, but returned in the evening (5 o'clock) to "brush" their roadway. Their working place was situated at A on hand sketch, but it appears that they had left it at 8 o'clock and gone into the heading B, to obtain the use of some tools which they knew to be lying there, when their lights ignited a small accumulation of firedamp. They were both burned, and died two weeks after from the effects of the injuries. It appears that the oversman and others had worked with open lights in the heading B on the day of the accident, and had left it only half an hour (at 4.30) before the deceased returned to their work, and I understand were not aware of the presence of firedamp.

Took place in one of the ordinary working places, and while the workmen were engaged at their work. Attributable, it would appear, to a fall of roof in the aircourse, which occurred a short time before, the accident, interrupting the air and thus allowing firedamp to collect. The explosion was reported to be slight, but the deceased died from the effects of his injuries eight days after.

The deceased was engaged with others on the day of the accident in one of the ordinary working places of the mine. I understand that a fall of roof took place during the shift, which interrupted the circulation of the air. It is stated that the workmen on the "dip" side of the fall left off work immediately after it happened, and called upon their neighbours, of whom the deceased was one, to leave also. They, however, continued to work, when soon after a slight explosion took place; more than one was injured, but the deceased died a week after from the effects of the injuries.

Happened to a night fireman who, after examining the working places with a safety lamp, went incautiously into a mine connected with an old working, where "waste" water was being run off, with his open light and kindled some firedamp, by which he was fatally injured.

The deceased was fireman, and acted as foreman brusher, that is, he superintended the brushing during night. It appears that he went to his work on the morning of the accident about 12.30 a.m., and was accompanied by three of the workmen. As explained by one of them he made the required examination, and afterwards left to shut off water which was occasionally drained off an old "waste." In about ten minutes after his leaving there was an explosion of firedamp, and on search being made the deceased was found at the entrance leading into the old waste, where unquestionably he had encountered firedamp whilst using an open light. The ordinary lamp, which apparently he had been using, was found near to him, but his safety lamp was got at the face of one of the working places about twenty yards farther off. It would appear that after examining the working places the deceased had laid aside his safety lamp, and at the time of the accident was imprudently using an open light. It is difficult to account for such inconsistency, for certainly the place where the accident happened was one where firedamp was more likely to accumulate than in any of the working places.