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Rescue crews waiting to re-enter mine; air unsafe

The Columbian
Published: April 8, 2010, 12:00am

MONTCOAL, W.Va. (AP) — A federal safety official says more air testing is needed before rescue teams can head back into a West Virginia mine to look for four miners missing since an explosion killed 25 workers.

Federal coal safety administrator Kevin Stricklin says levels of noxious gases had dropped but not enough for the crews to re-enter the Upper Big Branch mine late Thursday night.

He says sampling will continue. If levels do not drop by ventilation, crews will pump in nitrogen to neutralize the atmosphere.

Rescuers are eager to resume the underground search in the slim hope that the men made it to one of the rescue chambers in the mine.

Teams spent more than four hours working their way through the mine by rail car and on foot, but had to turn back earlier Thursday.

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