A methane fireball tore through a West Virginia coal mine, killing 25 miners, with four still missing yesterday when a buildup of toxic gases halted the search, officials said.
Mine safety officials held out little hope that the missing men could have survived the blast in the Upper Big Branch mine. They said there was only a slender chance they had reached a rescue chamber where there is clean air, food and water to last 96 hours.
The worst mining disaster in the US since 1984 hit on Monday afternoon as miners were changing shifts.
Rescuers planned to drill bore holes from the surface 333m into the mine chamber where the four missing miners are believed to be located to monitor gas levels and attempt to ventilate some of the toxic fumes, officials said.
West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin said it would take at least 12 hours to drill the holes, so crucial time would pass until rescuers can go back into the mine.
“This is a tough one,” he said. “The families have talked about it. If there’s a shred of hope, it’s a hope for a miracle.”
Stricklin said 25 miners were confirmed killed and two others were hospitalized with injuries from the disaster.
Manchin said the force of the blast was such that it turned rail lines and heavy equipment into bent and twisted wreckage.
The mine is run by Performance Coal Company, a subsidiary of Massey Energy, whose chief executive Don Blankenship issued a statement mourning the deaths.
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