Rescue teams still trying to reach second refuge chamber - WVVA TV Bluefield Beckley WV News, Weather and Sports

Rescue teams still have not been able to reach the second refuge chamber to see if the four missing miners are there.

Still, Governor Joe Manchin said at the last press conference around 9 p.m. Friday that there is encouraging news.

The rescue team that went into the mine Friday afternoon had better air and they did not encounter any smoke like teams in the morning had.

Another team was sent in Friday evening to relieve those miners since the rescue effort is strenuous work.

Governor Manchin said we should know by midnight whether or not the second refuge chamber was deployed, in the meantime the families are staying strong.

"These are such good people, they're such strong people, they're such prayerful and faithful people and I said tonight, I told them, I said our journey's about to end. We've been together for a little over five days, all of us, and it has been a journey. I said for some of us the journey will just be beginning because there will be many starting anew, and with that they have formed a bond that will last them the rest of their lives," said Gov. Joe Manchin.

After the rescue teams check the second refuge chamber for the missing miners, they'll go into recovery mode.