A basketball hoop at To Kwa Wan collapsed due to leaning on the evening of Jan. 4, injuring a 20-year-old on the court. The incident, according to sources, is suspected to be related to the rusting and aging of the hoop's support pillars.
A reporter from Wen Wei Po visited various basketball courts in Mong Kok and Wan Chai yesterday (Jan. 5) and found sporadic rust on the facilities managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD).
Also, the Ombudsman's Office had previously found that although the LCSD had established guidelines for the outdoor recreational facilities under its purview, requiring frontline staff to conduct regular inspections, the reports indicated serious issues with project delays.
In response to inquiries, the LCSD said that they are highly concerned about the incident and expressed sympathy to the injured party. After the incident, the entire basketball court was immediately cordoned off, and relevant personnel were arranged to investigate and follow up on the accident.
A spokesperson emphasized the importance the department places on maintenance and repairs of recreation facilities, stating that, besides annual full inspections, they also check recreational facilities every two weeks. The most recent inspection was conducted on Dec. 18, where "no abnormalities were found."
Suddenly, it happened
On the evening of Jan. 4 at about 10:27 PM, police received a report that a basketball hoop had collapsed at the Kau Pui Lung Road Playground, injuring a young man. Officers and paramedics then arrived and confirmed that a basketball hoop had fallen forward. Several individuals were present at the scene, and a 20-year-old male sustained injuries, including a scratch on his head and pain in his left knee and right ribs. It was reported that while playing basketball with friends, the hoop suddenly tilted and fell, striking him before he could avoid it, though he was fortunate not to be trapped.
The support base had severe rusting, and the basketball court is currently closed for safety reasons.
The injured person was later sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for treatment. After an investigation, the police preliminarily believe the hoop fell due to rust and aging, categorizing the case as one involving property damage and accidental injury.
A Wen Wei Po reporter returned to the Playground the following day, where the fallen hoop had not yet been removed. The broken supports showed significant rust at the base, and both this hoop and another similar one across from it had been cordoned off to prevent passersby from getting too close. A man was observed squatting by the broken base, seemingly assessing the damage.
The LCSD also posted a notice at the scene announcing that the basketball court would be closed until further notice.
Residents voice out
Residents expressed that these publicly available recreational facilities should be regularly inspected and maintained by the government to ensure user safety. Mr. Ng, one of the residents, mentioned that it is hard for the average person to notice whether the base of the hoop is rusting unless they check, noting that it is not surprising if the collapse caused injury.
He also urged basketball players to be vigilant and report any abnormal conditions of the hoops to the LCSD, emphasizing that the department should enhance regular inspections and renovations of the facilities, and criticizing the LCSD for renovating certain facilities that "are not that old" while neglecting those that truly need attention.
Another resident, Mr. Fung, who often plays basketball with his son, expressed his serious concerns upon seeing the fallen hoop.
"I come to play weekly and that many of the players are children aged between 8 and 13, but I've never seen anyone conduct maintenance... Now we have to check for those rust before we dare to play; it could be deadly if something like this falls on the court!"
Is there any more?
At the Maple Street Playground in Sham Shui Po, the reporter also noted significant rust at the base of the basketball hoop supports.
Mr. Lau, who was playing basketball, questioned, "Isn't this supposed to be the LCSD's responsibility?"
He said that authorities should regularly dispatch personnel to inspect and maintain the facilities to prevent accidents from recurring.
Another player, Mr. Wong, who was visiting the Playground for the first time, typically does not pay much attention to the safety of the court facilities but believes that the hoop collapse is quite rare and should be viewed as an isolated incident, so he is not worried about his personal safety.
Another regular visitor to Wan Chai's Southorn Playground, Mr. Leung, expressed confidence that incidents like a basketball hoop collapsing would not occur there.
"After all, it's (the Southorn Playground) a big and famous venue, with many people playing; the LCSD will definitely pay attention. If something were to collapse, it would be a big deal."
Still, he argued that in more remote courts, hoops that have been subjected to years of weathering might go unnoticed and become rusted and damaged.
"A basketball hoop is extremely heavy; if it falls, it could kill someone."
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Xiao Jingyuan; English Editor: Darius)
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