New Zealand Miners Believed to be Dead

A second explosion in the Pike River mine has dashed hopes that 29 men who survived a blast on Friday are still alive.

While nothing had been heard from the men since the explosion on Friday, their families had been holding out hope that they had survived, encouraged by October’s miraculous rescue in Chile. Officials had been monitoring conditions in the mine, but high temperatures and explosive gas levels remained high and prevented rescue teams from entering. Today the gas was ignited by a smoldering coal fire at the bottom of the mine, causing a second explosion just as powerful as the first. Officials said that if the miners survived the initial explosion, there is no way they survived the second. Prime Minister John Key declared it a national tragedy and said Parliament will adjourn its Thursday session out of respect.