A 14-year-old junior high school student suffered chest injuries when he was crushed while folding away a basketball hoop in his school's gymnasium, and died after being taken to hospital — a heavy blow to his family and to the school's students and staff.

• The ninth-grader, a member of the basketball team, was helping to stow a foldaway basketball hoop as instructed by a teacher when the hoop suddenly toppled during the folding process; unable to get out of the way in time, he was struck in the chest.
• The school immediately called 119, and emergency responders took him to the Hsinchu Branch of Taipei Veterans General Hospital, but efforts to save him were unsuccessful.
• The accident occurred yesterday afternoon and was witnessed by a number of students and teachers.
• The education bureau has dispatched its student counselling centre to the school to provide stress-relief interviews and psychological support to the students and staff who witnessed the accident.
• The school and the education bureau are helping the family file claims under the student group insurance scheme and the county's public accident insurance.

Outlook: The school and the education bureau will continue to support the family, students and staff, and have urged the public not to spread unverified speculation. A review of safety procedures for storing sports equipment at the school is expected to follow.