New Zealand rescuers were forced to show, wait for tests, the air before entering a coal mine shaft, where 29 people in the country of the first missing mining accident in more than 40 years.
"I'm not ready, people can detect underground to us that a safe environment," Police Superintendent Gary Knowles said at a press conference in Greymouth on the west coast of South Nation's Iceland, 50 km (30 miles) from the mine site. "We have just the right opportunity at the right time to get down there."
Officials stopped testing air in the shaft at 4 clock time and not continue to be, the taking of samples for tomorrow, Sky News reported, citing local police. Families of the missing workers are increasingly frustrated that rescue teams have not attempted to give the shaft, said Sky.
An explosion ripped through the mine field yesterday afternoon, kicking, power, its ventilation system. The employee representatives condition and location is unknown and there is no contact with them, says Peter Whittall, Chief Executive Officer of Pike River Coal Co., which operates the mine.
The men said Pike River has 16 employees and 13 contractor whose age between 17-62 Whittall. Twenty-four of the prisoners, the New Zealanders, two Australians, two Britons and one is from South Africa, reports New Zealand Herald quoted police Greymouth.
The two Brits from Scotland, said the Foreign Office in London today.
"Gas Hazard"
The results of air quality testing of samples from the top of the mine tunnels are taken, "inconclusive," Whittall said at the press conference today. Emergency services, various gases such as methane, ethane and carbon dioxide monitoring, "he said. Knowles said he was a 16-member team is waiting in the mine force.
While me is "what I class a moderately gassy me," there was nothing close to increased risk of an explosion, "said Whittall. Gas is a "danger" and "something with which we work all the time," he said.
Two miners who succeeded in the area on foot yesterday were treated in hospital and discharged today, said West Coast District Health Board Chief Executive David Meates.
Prime Minister John Key told reporters in Greymouth international messages of support he has received including an e-mail from Britain's Prince William.
Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said the country was contributing to the technical staff that the rescue. Australia is "deeply concerned" over two of its nationals who may be involved in the accident, he said in Sydney.
Help From Australia
New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally said the state had eight pits send officials to the site, while Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said her condition had my four security officers, including two gas provided chemists and equipment.
last New Zealand mining accident in 1967, 19 people died when an explosion at the Strongman coal mine, also near Greymouth.
My injuries are more common in countries like China, where a gas explosion mine in Henan province on 16 October shaken, killing 37 people. In Chile, 33 men were rescued from a copper and gold mine last month, is one for the longest in the world to save me.
An accident at Massey Energy Co. 's top branch of mine in West Virginia in April 1929 people killed.
China, the world's largest coal producer and consumer has the worst mine safety record with an average of seven deaths per day in accidents last year. In Chile, mining minister said Laurence Golborne 25th October that the government likely to give in the health and safety regulations by the end of November, known to change.
Ventilation system
Yesterday explosion came without warning of "high risk," said Andrew Little, National Secretary for the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union, which represents 71 of about 140 workers in the mine. "It is only in production for a year or so," he said. "They slowed down production because they were not satisfied that the ventilation was good, so they pretty careful."
Pike River is part of Gujarat NRE Coke by India Ltd and Saurashtra Fuels Pvt heard. Who is also a part of the low-ash, low phosphorus coking coal used by steel producers. The mine to 320,000 to 360,000 tons of coal in the next few years was projected to produce by June, the company said 19th October.
Pike River shares fell 14 percent to 61 cents Australian Sydney yesterday before trading was halted. The company fell 4.4 percent to 88 cents from the New Zealand Wellington to close.