Exploration of W.Va. coal mine where 29 men were killed in blast to resume on Monday

Exploration of mine where 29 died to resume Monday

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A West Virginia official says regulators plan to wait at least three days before sending crews back into the Massey Energy coal mine where 29 men died in an explosion nearly two months ago.

State safety director Ron Wooten said Thursday that plans call for teams to resume exploring the Upper Big Branch mine Monday. Massey had hoped teams could reach return to the mine Friday.

Two four-member crews entered the mine Wednesday — the first people to go underground since rescuers recovered the last of the dead in April. They were trying to make sure it’s safe to send investigators underground to look for clues to the cause of the explosion.

Wooten says the aim is to have a ventilation hole drilled before crews go underground.

The April 5 blast was the nation’s worst coal mining disaster in 40 years.