The most pathetic disaster was at the Lithgow Valley Colliery in 1886, resulting from an underground fire and explosion, which caused the death of eight men. This mine was ventilated with a steam engine situated underground and men leaving at the end of the shift reported excess smoke. Three men investigating were later found suffocated. Brick stoppings were built to seal off the fire and after five weeks closure, an investigating party entering the mine and taking off the cover were enveloped in a tremendous explosion resulting in the death of a further five men. In 1920, as a result of a small fire in the Oakey Park Colliery between Saturday afternoon and early Sunday, 298 valuable horses used in working the Colliery were suffocated - it should be explained that horses were kept in the pit and only taken to the surface occasionally. There were horses still working in the mines in 1950.