Soon after the workmen entered the Pentrefelin Colliery, the property of the swansea Coal Company, situated near Morriston, on Monday week, they were alarmed by the explosion of foul air in one of the headings, ignited by a collier named Thomas JAMES, who was most severely burnt.

The workmen immediately proceeded from all part of the pit to the scene of the lamentable occurrence, where they found the three lifeless bodies of John HOPKIN, aged 20, Matthew FISHER, aged 20 both of whom were unmarried, and Thomas MORGAN, a boy ten years of age, who had been most shockingly disfigured - his head having been detached from his body by the violent concussion of air consequent upon the explosion.

An inquest on the bodies of the sufferers was held at the Crown Public House, Morriston, on Wednesday, when several witnesses were examined, and the jury returned a verdict of "accidental death," with an opinion, "that had the fan been worked during Sunday night, or early on Monday morning, the explosion would not have occurred - that there is blame attached to the overman for not having seen that the pit was properly cleared, and for not having employed a person sufficiently strong to work at the fan."