▁entered ▁the ▁ 3 6 " ▁tall ▁mine ▁sh aft ▁at ▁ 7 ▁A . M . ▁and ▁craw led ▁to ▁a ▁depth ▁of ▁about ▁ 2 , 4 0 0 ▁feet . ▁The ▁explos ion ▁occurred ▁at ▁about ▁ 1 2 : 1 0 ▁P . M . ▁The ▁bodies ▁were ▁removed ▁within ▁ 2 4 ▁hours ▁and ▁the ▁mine ▁was ▁se aled ▁until ▁an ▁investigation ▁could ▁begin . ▁A ▁surv iv or , ▁A . T . ▁Collins , ▁was ▁re ent ering ▁the ▁sh aft ▁after ▁a ▁l unch ▁break ▁and ▁was ▁blow n ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁mine ▁by ▁the ▁explos ion . ▁There ▁was ▁also ▁one ▁other ▁surv iv or , ▁Harrison ▁H enson ▁of ▁Clay ▁County , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁sent ▁outside ▁to ▁get ▁tools . ▁ ▁He ▁had ▁turned ▁around ▁to ▁go ▁back ▁in ▁only ▁to ▁see ▁the ▁mine ▁expl ode ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁him . ▁ ▁Collins ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁three ▁min ers ▁who ▁test ified ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁seen ▁primer ▁cord   – ▁an ▁illegal ▁f use   – ▁at ▁the ▁mine ▁site . ▁ ▁Il legal ▁primer ▁cord ▁was ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁December ▁ 3 0 ▁bl ast ▁site , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁at ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁a ▁December ▁ 2 2 ▁bl ast ▁at ▁the ▁mine . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁a ▁mem oir ▁by ▁James ▁D . ▁Aus en b augh , ▁who ▁was ▁editor ▁of ▁the ▁Cou rier - J ourn als ▁state ▁des k ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁dis aster