Junior high school student in Hsinchu County crushed to death by basketball hoop; family to seek state compensation
A 14-year-old junior high school student in Hsinchu County was crushed to death by an electric hydraulic basketball hoop in his school's gymnasium. His family is demanding that the county government and the school take responsibility, in a case that serves as a serious warning about campus safety management.
- The student, surnamed Chen, was taking part in summer basketball team training on the 20th when he suffered crushing injuries to his chest while moving a basketball hoop. He was taken to hospital but could not be saved.
- Police said preliminary investigation showed the coach had intended to gather seven or eight students to help move the hoop, but the student began moving it before everyone had arrived. No teacher or coach was present at the scene.
- The family today asked two county councillors to assist them and will file a claim for state compensation with the Hsinchu County Government, questioning whether the school was negligent in the installation, use and management of its sports facilities.
- The parents asked: their child went to school to play basketball, so why did he end up moving a basketball hoop? They said the school should also explain how the equipment was routinely maintained and repaired.
- The dead student lived in an Indigenous community in Wufeng Township and was the elder of a pair of twins. His younger brother was training on the sports field at the same school when the accident happened.
Outlook: The county government said it would review the case in accordance with the law once the family submits a written application. Prosecutors and police have completed the postmortem examination, and the next step will be to establish where responsibility lies, with possible action over negligence by the school and the coach.