Pike River families have been told police will not prosecute anyone over the November 2010 disaster that killed 29 men.
About 50 families and supporters attended a meeting with police in Greymouth tonight.
A lawyer for the families said afterwards that they were now considering their options, including the possibility of some sort of civil action.
Lawyer Colin Smith said there was a "sadness" at the lack of accountability, "especially when the disaster was avoidable, so totally avoidable".
Spokesman for some of the families, Bernie Monk, who lost his son Michael, said government departments could not be sued, referring to the former Department of Labour.
"Families now have to evaluate what they want to do from here."
He said it was "quite an emotional scene" inside the meeting.
Both Mr Monk and Mr Smith said the law needed changed, with Mr Smith saying there should be a charge of corporate manslaughter.
"Companies can't be held criminally liable (now)."
Mr Smith said police had explained the real problem was proving causation. Although the Royal Commission favoured a roof collapse, release of gas and subsequent electrical spark, other theories could not be ruled out.
No one had been able to get inside the mine to examine the scene.
Civil action, he said, was "certainly something we will be looking at".
- by Laura Mills of the Greymouth Star
