TALLMANSVILLE, W.Va. — The miners relied on their training and trusted their safety equipment. But it wasn't enough.

Trapped by heavy smoke that blocked their escape routes, most of the 13 miners caught in an explosion did just as they were trained, retreating deeper into the mine and hanging a curtain-like barrier to keep out toxic gases while they waited for rescue, officials said Wednesday.

Their efforts may have bought them some time. But all except one were found dead more than a day and half after the blast.

The miners' families learned of the 12 deaths during a torturous night in which they were mistakenly told at first that 12 of the men were alive. It took three hours before the families were told the truth, and their joy turned instantly to fury, with one man lunging at coal company officials.

Ben Hatfied, chief executive of mine owner International Coal Group Inc., said about 45 minutes after the mine rescue command center received word that 12 miners were alive, the company realized it may have gotten it wrong. But families were not told of the mistake until three hours later, in part, Hatfield said, because officials wanted to make sure all of their information was right.

"We was looking for them to come through that door, man," a red-eyed John Casto said Wednesday as he stood beside a funeral home tent in back of the Sago Baptist Church, where the bells had tolled the "miracle" just hours before. "And it didn't happen that way."

Casto, who knew three of the trapped men, was standing in the church's tin-roofed fellowship hall when a man burst through the front door and shouted: "There still are miracles, because there are 12 men alive!"

Bridgette Lusk, whose uncle Martin "Junior" Toler was among the trapped, said her first cousin was a mine foreman at Sago who had called family at the church to report, "They just said they're alive."

The word spread like wildfire.

Shortly thereafter, Casto said, another man rushed into the sanctuary, grabbed the microphone and said emergency crews were going to bring the men up to the church to feed them and reunite them with their families.

Gov. Joe Manchin had been in the church praying with the families when the unidentified man made the announcement. He looked around at his troopers and communications people in puzzlement.

"Have we confirmed that?" he asked. No, was the reply.

Manchin told the families that he was going back to the mine for more information.

Wanda Groves, the mother of trapped miner Jerry Groves, was walking beside Manchin when she stumbled. As the governor helped the struggling woman regain her footing, Darlene Groves, the woman's daughter-in-law, touched the sleeve of the governor's leather jacket and asked him: "Are all 12 men alive?"