Geylang Methodist Secondary student dies after goalpost collapses on him

SINGAPORE — A teenager from Geylang Methodist Secondary School has died after an accident on the school's field.

Muhammad Hambali Sumathi, 13, was playing football with his classmates during physical education class on Monday (April 24) morning when he decided to hang onto the crossbar of the goalpost.

But the goalpost collapsed and hit the boy on his head.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said that an ambulance was dispatched to the school after receiving a call at 9.35am.

Hambali was conveyed to KK Women's and Children's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead despite paramedics' attempts to resuscitate him.

Responding to media queries, the principal of Geylang Methodist Secondary School, Mr Wee Tat Chuen, said the school is "deeply saddened by this tragedy".

"The student was an active and friendly boy who loved football," he said. "The school is in touch with the student's family, and is also providing the necessary support to students and staff affected."

The school field has since been closed to facilitate police investigations. Police have classified the case as unnatural death.

When TODAY visited the school on Monday afternoon, several people were on the field examining the structure of the collapsed goalpost.

Most students TODAY spoke to declined to comment out of respect for their schoolmate.

One student, who declined to be named, said that the principal had addressed the school and informed students and staff that an accident had taken place.