Massey Energy says crews may resume exploring W.Va. coal mine where blast killed 29 on Friday

Massey says crews may return to W.Va. mine Friday

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Massey Energy wants teams of government and company workers to quickly make another underground visit to the West Virginia mine where 29 men died in an explosion in April.

Two teams spent several hours exploring inside the Upper Big Branch mine Wednesday. Massey says they’re aiming to return Friday.

Virginia-based Massey says the goal would be to go far deeper to the area where the men killed in the blast were working.

The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration says investigators won’t enter the mine to look for the cause of the explosion until the exploratory crews determine it’s safe.

The April 5 explosion was the nation’s worst coal-mining disaster in 40 years. It’s the subject of civil and criminal investigations.