How very sad for the families of the NZ miners

[Bobbisox]

Another blast yesterday at the mine where these men were trapped and now, no survivors, among them two young men from Scotland, one , who was going to marry next month.
My heart goes out to everyone concerned in this tragedy.

[janbee]

I agree Bobbi, it's a tragedy for so many people. Very sad indeed.

[Bobbisox]

I think everyone was hoping for a miracle like we witnessed last month jan

[divegirl]

It's truly a horrible situation, you can't even begin to imagine what all involved are going through.
I too hoped for a similar ending to that that we witnessed in Chile and my heart broke when I heard the news this morning.

Lisa x

[paddywak]

Bad news indeed Bobbi, but not unexpected, when I saw the damage done to the top of the ventilation shaft my first thought was that nobody is coming out of that pit alive, but that still doesn't make it any easier to hear the news and one always hopes for a miracle

[rowanwitch]

lets just pray when the end came it was swift for them all....

[mccfluff]

very sad, poor guys and their families/friends must be awful

[cazzz1975]

its very sad, in the wake of the chilean miner's story we put a lot of faith in happy endings, it was sad to hear the news this morning

[paddywak]

If anybody survived the initial explosion doc the carbon monoxide resulting from the blast would soon overcome them. Even if they were wearing their "self rescuers" they only last for about an hour then the inevitable happens

[marval]

That is very sad, my thoughts are with their families, may they rest in peace.

[jno]

the Chileans were in a copper mine; these ones were in a coal mine, which often produce dangerous gases.

http://everything2.com/title/Gas+in+Coal+Mines