FAMILIES of workers killed in New Zealand’s worst mining disaster in a century held a vigil yesterday for the 291 workplace deaths in the five years since.

The vigil was timed to come a day before the second reading of the government’s health and safety reform Bill today.

Families lit 291 candles in memory of the 291 people who have died at work since a methane explosion at the Pike River coalmine on November 19 2010 killed 29 miners.