Department of Mines India. Report of the Chief Inspector of Mines in India under the Indian Mines Act (VIII of 1901) for the year ending 31st December 1922

the ►re-payment of freight on all coal from the Central Provinces and the drop in prices of some of the coals of Bengal and Bihar and Orissa together with the introduction of the rake system of wagon supplies in those provinces formed a combination of circumstances which re-acted unfavourably on the coal trade in the Central Provinces. [...] On the side of the pit in which the accident occurred about six weeks before the accident the rise gallery had been stopped and the air pipes removed for a distance of about 150 feet from the face in order to extend the pipe line in the levels. [...] An inspection of the place was made on the clay after the accident by an officer of the Department of Mines when no indication of firedamp was given on the reduced flame of the ordinary safety lamp. [...] Obviously the gas had been slowly accumulating during the period between the two inspections as had also undoubtedly been the case during the interval between the stoppage of the gallery and the accident. [...] The mine was ventilated naturally and the air current coming from the main level which was the intake was conducted round the face by the packs into the companion level which formed the return airway.