時事英豪｜看新聞學英文《籃球架壓傷人　設施銹蝕『埋雷』》

【編者按】為回應家長和學生對提升英文能力的需求，點教育於新年伊始推出全新欄目「時事英豪」。本欄目精選社會熱點，以中英對照形式解構新聞時事，並提煉實用英文詞彙，文末更設有思考題，助學生在了解時事的同時鍛煉語言能力。

內容如下：

籃球架壓傷人設施銹蝕「埋雷」街坊盼設保養牌知檢查時間

Safety for ballers: Concerns rise after basketball hoop collapse injures young player in HK

土瓜灣靠背壟道遊樂場籃球場4日發生籃球架前傾倒塌意外，壓傷一名打籃球的20歲青年，意外疑涉及籃球架支柱銹蝕老化致肇禍。

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.

記者5日巡視旺角、灣仔一帶的康文署籃球場及康體場地，也出現零星的銹跡。

A reporter visited various basketball courts in Mong Kok and Wan Chai on Jan. 5 and found sporadic rust on the facilities managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD).

康文署回覆查詢時表示高度關注意外，向傷者表示慰問。意外後已即時圍封整個籃球場，並安排相關工程人員了解及跟進事故。

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.

發言人強調，一向重視轄下康樂場地遊樂場設施的保養與維修，除了年度全面檢查外，亦每兩星期檢查相關遊樂場設施，最近一次於上月18日巡查，當時無發現異樣。

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."

4日晚上約10時27分，警方接獲報案指在靠背壟道遊樂場的籃球場，有籃球架倒塌壓傷一名青年。警員及救護員到場，證實一個籃球架向前叩頭式倒下，現場有多人，其中一名20歲姓蔡男青年頭部擦傷、左膝及右邊肋骨疼痛。

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.

據悉，事主偕友人在上址打籃球期間，籃球架突然向前傾倒，他走避不及被擊中受傷，幸未被壓住。

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.

傷者其後清醒被送往伊利沙伯醫院醫治。警方經調查後，初步相信是籃球架因生銹老化而墜下，案件無可疑，列為發現財物損毀及有人意外受傷案件跟進。

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.

記者5日中午返回冧籃球架所在的土瓜灣靠背壟道遊樂場，場內塌下的籃球架仍未移走，斷開的兩支鐵柱底部可見銹蝕得相當嚴重，其與對面另一個同款籃球架俱被圍封，以免途人接近。現場則有一名男子蹲在斷開的籃球架支柱底部，疑似了解設施的損毀情況。

The 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.

康文署亦在現場貼出公告，指籃球場暫停開放，直至另行通告為止。

The LCSD also posted a notice at the scene announcing that the basketball court would be closed until further notice.

現場有街坊表示，這些供公眾使用的康樂設施，政府應定期檢查及維修，以保障使用者安全。另有街坊吳先生表示，一般人如非特意查看，很難察覺籃球架支柱的底部是否生銹。

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.

另一街坊馮先生帶同兒子本想打籃球，到達時赫見一個籃球架塌下，明言感到擔心。

Another resident, Mr. Fung, who often plays basketball with his son, expressed his serious concerns upon seeing the fallen hoop.

他稱每周都會前來打籃球，該處打波的亦大多是8歲至13歲小童，但從未見過有人維修。他稱「𠵱家要望吓有冇生銹先敢打波，呢啲一跌落來就冇（命）！」

"I come to play weekly, and 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!"

在深水埗楓樹街遊樂場記者所見，有籃球架的支柱底部出現明顯銹蝕情況。

At the Maple Street Playground in Sham Shui Po, the reporter also noted significant rust at the base of the basketball hoop supports.

打籃球的劉先生指出，康文署檢查保養責無旁貸，並反問「這些不是應該由康文署負責的嗎？」

Mr. Lau, who was playing basketball, questioned, "Isn't this supposed to be the LCSD's responsibility?"

另有經常到灣仔修頓遊樂場打籃球的梁先生表示，相信修頓球場不會出現籃球架倒下的情況。

Another regular visitor to Wan Chai's Southorn Playground, Mr. Leung, expressed confidence that incidents like a basketball hoop collapsing would not occur there.

「畢竟咁大個場，個場咁出名，咁多人打波，康文署一定會睇實，否則冧咗會好大件事。」

"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."

他認為一些較為偏遠的籃球場，籃球架在長年累月下風吹雨打、日曬雨淋會生銹損毀易被忽視。

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.

「籃球架咁重，冧落嚟會砸死人。」

"A basketball hoop is extremely heavy; if it falls, it could kill someone."

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