Coroner rules death of 17-year-old boy who was pinned by basketball frame a misadventure - CNA

Dunking and holding on to the rim are “part and parcel of the game” and the basketball structure should easily have been able to withstand the forces involved, said the State Coroner. 

The basketball court near Block 18 Bedok South Road where the teen was found motionless on Jul 26, 2021. (Photo: TODAY/Raj Nadarajan)

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Ang Hwee Min 18 Sep 2026 06:38PM (Updated: 18 Sep 2026 07:41PM) Bookmark Bookmark Share WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Set CNA as your preferred source on Google Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. Read a summary of this article on FAST. Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST SINGAPORE: A coroner has ruled the death of a 17-year-old boy who suffered fatal head injuries after a basketball frame fell on him a misadventure. 

Mohd Ridwan was playing basketball at Block 18 Bedok South Road on Jul 26, 2021, when he attempted a dunk and held onto the basketball rim for a few seconds. The structure later fell on him, pinning him.

Delivering his findings on Friday (Sep 18), State Coroner Adam Nakhoda said Ridwan's manner of playing basketball that day did not contribute to the accident.

Dunking and holding on to the rim were “part and parcel of the game” and the structure should easily have been able to withstand the forces involved, he said. 

“This was a truly tragic case of a young man with his entire life before him suddenly struck down in his prime,” he said, offering his condolences to Ridwan's family. 

He reiterated findings by the Health Sciences Authority that inconsistent welding of the structure could have contributed its collapse. 

The upper and bottom parts of the two poles in the basketball structure had been welded together, and the structure broke at the welded joint, which was the weakest point, the court heard on Friday. 

If both poles of the basketball structure were one complete pole instead of two parts welded together, the breakage, and consequently the accident, would not have occurred, the coroner said. 

Upon reviewing schematics from the manufacturer, the coroner concluded that it was most probable that the poles had been damaged and then repaired by welding. 

The basketball structure on the opposite side of the court did not have similar welding, he noted. 

The coroner could not determine whether the damage and welding occurred before or after the basketball structure was delivered to KAF Resources, the company that was subcontracted to install it. 

According to previous reports, the basketball court had undergone renovations shortly before the accident.

The coroner highlighted that a professional engineer had not been engaged to design any aspect of the renovation works. 

The contract required the reconstruction to be carried out according to a design endorsed by a professional engineer to ensure the basketball court was safe and suitable for use, the coroner’s court previously heard. 

However, the project manager from TMS Alliances, the company awarded the tender for East Coast Town Council repair works, was not aware that a professional engineer was required. The company therefore did not engage one or ensure that KAF Resources did so.

As a result, there were no checks during or after the installation of the basketball structure to ensure that it was structurally sound, Judge Nakhoda said on Friday. 

The police similarly concluded in their investigation report that there had been a failure to properly check the structural integrity of the basketball poles and to engage a professional engineer for the project, the coroner noted. 

In a statement on Facebook on Friday, East Coast Town Council said that it takes its responsibility for the safety of facilities in the estate seriously.

It noted that EM Services was the town council’s managing agent at the time and had overseen the project.

Following the incident in 2021, all basketball courts in the estate were immediately closed, the town council said. Independent professional engineers appointed by a review committee subsequently inspected all sports structures, and those that needed replacement were reopened only after a professional engineer had verified and endorsed them as safe.

The town council said it continues to work with EM Services to enhance internal oversight and compliance with safety standards.

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

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less “We will remain in close contact and continue to provide assistance to the family of the late Mohd Ridwan who remains our priority.”