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Details of Event: An "upover" staple was being put up from one seam to another and had been driven 7 fathoms. The shots were fired by deceased who was the deputy in charge of the district at the time. Up to nine days before the accident an ordinary shot-firing battery was used this, however, being of insufficient strength, an arrangement was fixed up taking the power off the mains at 500 volts direct current, Similar to one used at the colliery some years previously in shaft sinking. A double pole switch with two fuses, and a "push" with the necessary terminal were mounted on a slate hoard, placed some yards from the bottom of the staple. To fire the shots after they were connected to the shot-firing cable it was necessary to fix the cable in the terminals close the double pole switch and press the push Deceased had fired two shots, and on going up the staple and connecting the third shot, it went off, killing him instantly. It was then found that the shot-firing cable was attached to the terminals, and that the double pole switch was in. The circuit however, should have been open with the "push" being off but when tested afterwards, probably owing to leakage to earth at some point on the power system, it was found that a connection was made when the push was off. The accident could have been avoided by the ordinary precautions used in shot firing and by observing the rules contained in the new Explosives Order.