A LARGE photograph of Jerry Lee Groves in a mine sat next to his closed casket, along with dozens of flowers carrying notes of sympathy.

A large photograph of Jerry Lee Groves in a mine sat next to his closed casket today, along with dozens of flowers carrying notes of sympathy.

FAMILY members believe the officials likely knew of the miners’ fates some time before then - maybe as soon as 20 minutes after the celebration began.

A MINING company executive said officials are “very discouraged” by air quality tests in the mine where 13 workers are trapped, and planned to drill a third hole to take additional air samples.

Rescuers trying to reach 13 trapped US miners punched a hole into the mine early today, but a company executive said he was “very discouraged” by air quality tests.