On the day of the disaster 159 men and boys were underground working a shift that started at 6.00 a.m. and would have ended mid afternoon.
The explosion occurred before the formation of Mines rescue teams but assistance arrived from nearby collieries and an exploring party of men from Bickershaw Colliery, Astley and Tyldesley Collieries and the Wigan Coal and Iron Company went underground but considered there would be no survivors.