Timeline of events on 14th October 1913

6:00am – 945 men and boys descended pit for start of day shift

8:10am – Explosion in Colliery –Lancaster Pit Cage crashes through headgear

9:30am – Work starts on clearing shaft

9:30am – First Survivors brought up

10:30am – First Rescue Brigade Car arrives from Rhymney Valley

11:00am – Porth Rescue Brigade arrives, followed shortly by Cars from Aberdare and Crumlin

11:00am – Orderly evacuation of pit from York Pit

2:00pm – All 489 from York Pit brought up

2:00pm – Chief Inspector of Mines arrives and first official statement made to press

3:00pm – Lord Merthyr, pit owner arrives

5:30pm – Chief Inspector R.A.S. Redmayne and Dr. Atkinson arrive

Evening Time 4000 people cram Senghenydd

8:30pm – W.T. Rees, Managing Director of Company issues statement

9:00pm – Mines Inspectors Greenland Davies and PT Jenkins discover fresh air entering Heading No. 1 giving rise to hopes that Bottanic District may not have been affected by fire.

9:45pm – Rescue party descend pit to investigate Bottanic District

11:00pm – Men found alive (18 in total and brought to surface)