Thomas Brayford, a collier who worked on the day shift and was familiar with the workings of the pit, went down with Birchenwood Rescue Brigade on Friday morning to explore the workings. He acted as a guide, but wore no apparatus. Going along the Red Shag level and through the air roads he found the body of the lad Joseph Cornwall. He was lying on his back and had apparently just come over from the Red Mine road into the air crossing when he succumbed. Then the rescue brigade went to the end of the place where it began to get very hot. Previously to this the air had been clear. They next went to the turn of No. 45 where there were six bodies together. There was no smoke, but the air was bad. The rescue party then went further into the dip and it was arranged that Brayford should wait until they called for him. The party then discovered Robert McCready: who was lying in the middle of the dip, he was alive but unconscious. They carried him to the turn of No. 45, which led to the Red Shag district. Their progress was then rendered very difficult owing to their having to drag the poor man along narrow air-roads. They had to crawl along on their stomachs, dragging the unconscious man along by means of a rope attached round his body. He was successfully brought to the surface, where Dr. Thomas attended to him prior to his removal to North Staffordshire Infirmary. Unfortunately Robert McCready died at 11.45 on Saturday night 27th February; bring the death roll up to 12.

Rescue Brigades, ten in number, from the neighbouring pits were engaged in exploring the pit and recovering the bodies until a late hour on Friday night when the last body was brought to the pit bottom. The work had been slow and laborious owing to the falls that had taken place. As the bodies were brought up they were conveyed to their homes.