Hijjah 18, 1431, Nov 24, 2010, SPA -- A massive explosion deep inside a New Zealand coal mine Wednesday erased hopes of rescuing 29 miners caught underground by a similar blast five days ago. The prime minister declared it a national tragedy. Even if any of the missing men had survived the initial explosion on Friday at the Pike River Mine, police said none of the men could have survived the second. Both blasts were believed caused by explosive, toxic gases swirling in the tunnels dug up to 1 1/2 miles (2 kilometers) into a mountain that had also prevented rescuers from entering the mine to search for the missing, the Associated Press reported. «There was another massive explosion underground, and based on that explosion no one would have survived,» said police superintendent Gary Knowles, in charge of the rescue operation. «The blast was prolific, just as severe as the first blast.» It was one of New Zealand's worst mining disasters. The country's industry is relatively small compared to other nations and considered generally safe, with 210 deaths in 114 years after the most recent tragedy. «New Zealand has been devastated by the news that we have all been dreading,» New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said in a nationally televised news conference. «This is a national tragedy.» He said flags would fly at half staff on Thursday and Parliament would adjourn its session in respect for the dead men. Officials said only investigations still to come would confirm the exact cause of Wednesday's explosion.
