Singapore teen dies after basketball backboard structure falls on him

The basketball hoop board was installed last year and court was renovated

The basketball hoop structure uprooted from the ground and fell on a 17-year-old teen in Singapore’s Bedok (Screengrab/CNA)

A 17-year-old boy died in Singapore after a basketball hoop structure toppled over and fell on him on Monday night while he was playing at the court.

Police said they responded to a call at 8.45pm in Bedok, eastern Singapore, and found the teen near the fallen basketball backboard.

Eyewitnesses told the Strait Times the teenage boy was found in the pool of blood on the court. Attempts were made to resuscitate him and he was rushed to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

A student, Mohamad Izzry Jusri, 17, reportedly said the teenager was playing when he made a dunk but held on to the basketball hoop which was wobbly, got uprooted from the ground, and fell on top of him.

The basketball court was renovated and a new hoop basketball backboard was installed in April 2020, according to a top official of the East Coast Town Council.

“For now, what we know is that the concrete slabs of the basketball court were reconstructed, along with the installation of new hoop structure in April 2020,” Jessica Tan, chairman of the council told the newspaper. She said the court has been shutdown for investigation.

The structure that fell on the teen has been removed from the court and would undergo structural checks.

Deputy prime minister Heng Swee Keat, who is MP for East Coast constituency, visited the site and the family to offer condolences.

"The sudden loss has been extremely difficult for his family and friends. We are giving them our fullest support, and I urge everyone not to circulate videos or pictures of the incident," he said.

Mr Mohammad Herman Al Jufri Khalil, 19, who knew the victim, said he was horrified to see him lying motionless and one of his friends trying to resuscitate him.

“I was very shocked,” said Mr Herman. “My friend was saying: ‘Please wake up. Please wake up.’ He was in a very bad condition.”

“He was a good person. He respected old people. He joked around with his friends but also took care of them,” he added.