cage was attached to the rope in the No. 1 pit. Thomas Dymond, the colliery owner, David Tewart (alternately spelled Towart or Tewert), the underground steward, and Christopher Siddons (alternately spelled Seddons), a deputy, bravely descended first. They found 20 badly burned casualties who were quickly sent up but 14 subsequently died of their injuries. After another rope was attached, rescue volunteers including P. Cooper, John Brown, William Porter Maddison, William Auboné Potter, Kell, John Platts, George Minto, the under-viewer from Mount Osborne Colliery (and previous under-viewer at the Oaks), and other engineers and deputies from surrounding collieries, along with seventy or eighty additional men, went down. By 4:00 pm a total of about 80 workers had been recovered, but only 19 of them barely alive. Of these 19, only 6 survived and one, William Hart, later died in a different colliery accident. The few survivors of the initial blast had made their way to the shaft bottom where there was some air; those in more distant areas succumbed to the afterdamp, principally carbon monoxide. The dead were taken to their homes. At the time of the explosion the only rescuers were volunteers and officials who came from neighbouring collieries who worked in relays. Sixteen men forced to the surface because of the foul air were accused of cowardice by bystanders. The few police present could not control the crowd, which invaded the pithead and interfered with operations. A telegram to the chief constable brought reinforcements and the area was cleared. Meanwhile, Blackburn (with his assistant), as well as Smith Sr. and Jr. had arrived to give medical aid to the injured. A message was sent to colliery engineer Thomas Woodhouse of Duffield near Derby. It said, "The Oaks Pit is on fire. Come directly." Woodhouse was in London but his partner, Parkin Jeffcock, responded and arrived by train before 10:00 pm. The rescuers' progress was restricted because of roof falls and afterdamp. Where it was possible to penetrate further into the workings bodies were found damaged by the blast. During the day the rope and cage for the No. 1 shaft were repaired and brattice was sent down to repair the stoppings. Jeffcock descended into the pit at 10:00 pm and met Minto, Brown, Potter, Cooper, and Platts who were finally coming up for rest. Jeffcock took charge of the operation to make the pit safe and worked to