A refuge chamber for miners in a mine includes a skid. The chamber includes a tent that is disposed in the skid in an undeployed state which is expandable to a deployed state and extends from the skid to provide a protected atmosphere for the miners. A method for providing a refuge chamber for miners in a mine including the steps of opening a skid made of metal. There is the step of expanding a tent that is disposed in the skid in an undeployed state to a deployed state that extends from the skid to provide a protected atmosphere for the miners.