On Monday, April 5, 2010, at 3:01 p.m., an explosion erupted through the Upper Big Branch Mine, blasting debris out of the portals for several minutes as carbon monoxide alarms sounded and mine fan records showed a major disruption to ventilation. A call to Mine Safety and Health Administration and West Virginia Miners’ Health Safety and Training emergency hotlines reported an air reversal on the beltline and carbon monoxide at 50 to 100 parts per million, while Performance Coal personnel and trained Massey Energy rescue personnel entered the mine and began evacuating victims. Through the evening, ambulance crews, Mine Safety and Health Administration officials, and rescue teams arrived, a control order was issued, families gathered at the Marfork Safety Building, the press assembled at Marsh Fork Elementary School, and rescuers advancing into the mine encountered high carbon monoxide levels, found an undeployed refuge chamber near the longwall, and were eventually ordered out when gas detectors showed over-the-range carbon monoxide and methane near the HG22 section. Early on Tuesday, April 6, all rescue team members exited the mine, state officials informed families of the numbers dead and missing, crews began drilling the first of three boreholes above the HG22 section, and gas monitoring continued, with no unusual underground noise detected that night by seismic equipment set up by Mine Safety and Health Administration. On Wednesday, April 7, drilling and monitoring continued all day, with periodic briefings for families and the media by state officials, Mine Safety and Health Administration personnel, and Massey Energy executives. On Thursday, April 8, rescue teams reentered to search for four missing miners and begin recovery efforts, but explosive gas readings at the borehole forced another withdrawal, while briefings continued. On Friday, April 9, rescue teams again entered and later withdrew after detecting elevated carbon monoxide and smoke; funeral services were held in various southern West Virginia towns for seven coal miners lost in the explosion; later that day teams entered as nitrogen was pumped into the mine through previously drilled boreholes; and by 10:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. the four remaining victims were located. At 11:35 p.m., state and federal officials and Massey Energy executives gave a final briefing to families, announced that the entire mine had been explored, all miners had been located, and no one had survived, and Governor Manchin told the media, “We did not receive the miracle we were praying for. This journey has ended and now the healing will start.” On Saturday, April 10, the recovery effort intensified but was repeatedly interrupted by dangerous conditions, and by early morning on Tuesday, April 13, the recovery was complete. The last mine rescuers on site covered the entrance to the UBB mine with a large American flag in homage to the men, and the disaster claimed the lives of 29 miners: Carl Acord, Jason Atkins, Christopher Bell, Gregory Steven Brock, Kenneth Allen Chapman, Robert Clark, Charles Timothy Davis, Cory Davis, Michael Lee Elswick, William Griffith, Steven Harrah, Edward Dean Jones, Richard K. Lane, William Lynch, Joe Marcum, Ronald Lee Maynor, Nicholas Darrell McCroskey, James E. Mooney, Adam Keith Morgan, Rex L. Mullins, Joshua S. Napper, Howard D. “Boone” Payne, Dillard Earl Persinger, Joel R. Price, Gary Quarles, Deward Scott, Grover Dale Skeens, Benny Willingham, and Ricky Workman.