Colombia Methane Blast Kills Four, Search Ends

A methane-fueled explosion and subsequent collapse at a coal mine in Chita, in Colombia’s Boyacá department, killed all four workers inside. Rescuers recovered the first two bodies on Saturday and the remaining two on Sunday, ending search operations. Authorities suspended work at the mine and are investigating the blast; the mine was registered, but officials have not identified its operator. The accident underscores the dangers in central Colombia’s small-scale mining sector, where methane and dust can build up in coal deposits.