In a gas explosion at the bottom of the shaft at 12:30 a.m. one of the two men in the mine lost his life.  Thirteen men had been hoisted out of the shaft 10 minutes before the explosion.  From the time of the explosion until the rescue party of the Bureau of Mines arrived, at 9:30 p.m., nothing had been done toward recovery, except to try to force fresh air into the shaft.

The necessary examinations were made by the Bureau of Mines party which started down the shaft without using apparatus.  At the bottom of the shaft one man was found alive, caught by the leg by some timber; he was freed and taken to the surface.  The party started to recover the body of the other man and brought it to the surface about two hours later.