A HUNGHOM mahjong club where six men were killed in an arson attack in 1990 is appealing against an order to pay compensation to the families of four of the victims, who were employees.
Mr Warren Chan, for the King Ford Mahjong Club, told the Court of Appeal yesterday that three victims were off duty at 3 am on September 11, 1990, when three men poured petrol on to the carpet and set it alight.
He submitted that they were not entitled to employees' compensation.
At issue is whether the deaths occurred during the course of their employment.
Judge Downey held in the District Court that they did because the major shareholder of the club, Mr Liu Tai-cheong, completed a statutory form saying the deaths occurred in the course of work.
The court heard Mr Lam Wai-lap, 29, Mr Yim Sze-tung, 27, and Mr Leung Ping-wah, 30, worked in the ground floor restaurant.