MINEr Problem

Dangerous gases have prevented rescue teams from searching for four miners missing since an explosion killed 25 of their colleagues:

Here's some more background from the NYTimes:

MONTCOAL, W.Va. — Rescue teams at the Upper Big Branch mine, where at least 25 people were killed in a deadly blast this week, were abruptly pulled out Thursday morning because methane levels were dangerously high and further explosions were possible, state officials said.

Obviously, this is a concerning situation for the large mining population in West Virginia. Mining has always been central to the state's economy, and explosions and tragedies like these are haunting reminders of the dangerous involved with such a perilous trade.