Victims of the 1996 Garley Building fire, which killed 40 people, have reached a secret compensation deal with the companies they blame for the tragedy.
Twenty-three actions for damages have been resolved behind closed doors in a case which, if it had gone to trial, would have been the biggest of its kind in Hong Kong.
Lawyers remained tight-lipped about details of the confidential agreement, but an expert said it was likely that the total payout would run into tens of millions of dollars.
The last three cases to be settled went before Mr Justice Conrad Seagroatt at the Court of First Instance yesterday. The public were barred from the court.
After the hearing, a spokeswoman for the Legal Aid Department, which represented most of those bringing claims for damages, said: 'As far as our department is concerned there are 24 common law cases; 23 of them have been settled. We can't disclose the terms of the settlement.' The blaze, the worst in Hong Kong for 78 years, ripped through the commercial Garley Building in Nathan Road on November 20, 1996, killing 40 people and injuring another 80.
A lawyer involved in yesterday's hearing, representing victims or their relatives in 19 of the claims, said: 'All the terms are confidential. Basically, the matter has been agreed to be disposed of in an amicable way.' Michael Ozorio SC, who represented defendants Ryoden Lift and Escalator Co Ltd, Hop Cheong Engineering Ltd and Kwan Kee Construction Co, said: 'I can't comment at all, I am afraid. All I can say is 'no comment'. I would like to give you more information, but I can't.' Mr Justice Seagroatt revealed it was the victims who had asked for yesterday's hearings in relation to the agreement to be held in private.