Death of S'pore teen, 17, from basketball frame that fell on him ruled a misadventure

A coroner has ruled the death of a 17-year-old boy who had a basketball frame fall on him in 2021 a misadventure.

On Jul. 26, 2021, Mohd Ridwan suffered fatal head injuries after the structure fell on him during a basketball game with his friends at Block 18 Bedok South Road.

During an attempted dunk, he had reportedly held onto the rim of the basketball hoop structure for about two seconds, unaware of its instability.

It then collapsed on him.

Paramedics tried to resuscitate the teen for 10 minutes but to no avail. He later succumbed to his injuries and died in hospital.

Misadventure ruling

According to CNA, a state coroner said on Sep. 18 that the teenager's manner of playing the game that day did not contribute to the accident.

The act of dunking and holding onto the rim were also "part and parcel of the game", he said.

As such, the hoop structure should have easily been able to withstand the forces involved.

Inconsistent welding

The Health Sciences Authority found that the structure's inconsistent welding may have contributed to its collapse.

A breakage had occurred at the weakest point of the pole — the point where the upper and bottom part of the two poles in the structure had been welded together.

According to the coroner, the breakage, and subsequently the accident, would not have occurred if the two welded poles had been one complete pole instead.

Reviews of the manufacturer's schematics also led to his conclusion that the poles had most likely been damaged and then repaired by welding, as the other hoop structure on the other end of the court did not have the same welding.

It was not determined if the damage occurred before or after the structure's installation.

No professional engineer engaged

It was noted that the basketball court had undergone renovations shortly before the accident.

As part of a contract, the renovation works were supposed to be carried out according to a design endorsed by a professional engineer.

The project manager from TMS Alliances, the company that was awarded the tender for repair works under East Coast Town Council, was not aware of such a requirement.

As a result, no professional engineer was recruited, the coroner pointed out.

Additionally, no checks were conducted during or after the installation of the basketball structure to ensure it was structurally sound, the police also found.

Town Council says immediate actions taken

In response to the ruling, East Coast Town Council said in a Facebook post on Sep. 18 that it acknowledges the findings.

"As Town Council, ensuring the safety of all facilities in the estate is a responsibility we hold seriously," it wrote.

It added that following the incident, all basketball courts in the estate were immediately closed.

Independent professional engineers appointed by the town council's review committee inspected all sports structures, and structures that required replacement were reopened to the public only after they were endorsed as safe by a professional engineer.

It was previously reported that the guardians of the victim had reached a settlement with the town council and EM Services, the managing agent overseeing the project.

"We continue to work with our Managing Agent EM Services, to enhance internal oversight and compliance with safety standards," the town council said in its Facebook post.

"Our thoughts remain with the family and loved ones of the late Mohd Ridwan, and we express our deepest sympathies to them once again. ​

We will remain in close contact and continue to provide assistance to the family of the late Mohd Ridwan who remains our priority."