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Details of Event: Deceased and his mate were shooting down top stone in gateways in longwall working in the South Kyo water Level district of the Five Quarter sea. A shot had been fired the day before in a gateway which had failed to bring down the stone and on the day of the accident they used the pinch and dislodged part of the stone. At the time of the accident deceased was under the brow on the right side of the gateway building stones which his mate was handing to him, into a pack, when a stone, 6.5 feet long by 2 feet 3 inches wide and 18 inches thick fell from the roof upon him. It commenced near the breaking off props on the right side, two of which were canted out, and extended along the face close to the coal. It was relieved by a parting above and two jacks running parallel to each other and the face, one being close to the coal. A deputy examined the place shortly before they started work but owing to a skin of coal next the roof dirt not observe the jacks There were loose props near ready to set if they had thought it necessary. The Local Inspectors made a detailed report and remarked in it, ‘We found that the stone had come away from slips running each way and therefore our opinion is if these slips had been noticed timber ought to have been put up and there was sufficient timber at hand for that purpose, if on the other hand these slips were not seen then our opinion is that it was a pure accident.