Federal official says there is a possibility rescue crews could enter W.Va. mine Wed. night

Crews close to rescue attempt of 4 W.Va. miners

MONTCOAL, W.Va. — A federal official says he is confident that two safety citations issued on the day of the West Virginia mine explosion didn’t factor into the blast.

Kevin Stricklin, an administrator from the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, said the citations occurred in an area away from the site of the explosion.

Stricklin says crews are getting close to entering the mine to search for four missing miners. He says there is a possibility that rescue crews could enter the mine as soon as Wednesday night.

Dangerous gases have prevented rescuers from venturing into the Upper Big Branch coal mine to search for any survivors earlier. The explosion killed at least 25 workers. Two people survived.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

MONTCOAL, W.Va. (AP) — A federal official says crews are getting close to entering a West Virginia mine to search for four missing miners.

Kevin Stricklin, an administrator from the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, said there is a possibility that rescue crews could enter the mine as soon as Wednesday night.

Dangerous gases have prevented rescuers from venturing into the Upper Big Branch coal mine to search for any survivors earlier. The explosion killed at least 25 workers. Two people survived.

It’s the worst U.S. mining disaster in a generation.