No chance any of the miners survived

                          nzherald.co.nz

Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn said families of the 29 Pike River mine victims who perished in today's second blast fell to the floor screaming and were in "absolute despair", when they heard the news.

Late this afternoon police confirmed there was an explosion at the West Coast mine and they believe there is no chance any of the miners survived.
Families of the miners were told in Greymouth there was an explosion at 2.37pm, bigger than last Friday's, and all hope was now lost.

Police Superintendent Gary Knowles, who headed the rescue operation, made the announcement to the media.
"Unfortunately I have to inform the public of New Zealand at 2.37pm today there was another massive explosion underground and based on that explosion no one would have survived," Mr Knowles said.
"We are now going into recovery mode. I had to break the news to the family and they were extremely distraught.
"I was at the mine myself when it actually occurred and the blast was prolific, just as severe as the first blast."
Mr Knowles said he was with a rescue team when the blast happened and they were in agreement with him that the miners would have "perished".
Family members were emerging from the meeting crying and some were shouting at media and police. There are a large number of police at the scene.
West Coast's darkest day Grey District mayor Tony Kokshoorn broke down into tears after leaving the briefing and had to go into his council building.
He said this is the "darkest day" for the West Coast.
The families and communities of the dead miners have been changed forever by today's catastrophic blast, he said.

Mine safety expert David Feickert told TVNZ the miners would have not felt the explosion.
"Chances are they became unconscious from the carbon monoxide and wouldn't be affected by the explosion," Mr Fieckert said.
"From the samples today [we know] that there was some kind of heating going on, that provides an ignition force."
He said that given the lack of air ventilation methane gas would have built up a combination between it and the smoldering material would have caused the explosion. /nzherald