A six-year-old girl was seriously injured when a metal structure fell on her in a basketball pitch.

The accident happened at Triq Robert Mifsud Bonnici, Lija, near the former University residence, on Sunday afternoon.

The police in a statement on Monday said the girl and a friend had been playing with the iron structure, which holds the basketball ring, which fell on top of one of them.

The girl was taken to hospital and found to have been seriously injured.

Sources said the girl was conscious and talking on Sunday evening and her condition on Monday was stable. 

The other girl, 7, was unhurt.

The police are investigating.  

2003 tragedy, 2012 accident

Sunday's accident recalled a tragedy 21 years ago when a 14-year-old Zurrieq boy died when a goalpost he was dangling from fell on him in a school in Sta Venera.

An inquiry had subsequently established that the incident could have been avoided had those running the school and the teachers been more sensitive and aware of the danger that existed.

No one, however, was found to have been directly responsible for that accident although several persons knew that the goalposts had toppled over several times and could fall again.

In another accident, in 2012, an architect suffered a permanent disability when he was hit on the head by falling goalposts during a charity tournament held at the Floriana football ground.

The architect had been checking whether the goalposts were safely secured to the ground when an iron bar fell on his head, severely injuring him. 

Four years later the operator of the five-a-side football pitch and a groundsman were fined €2,000 and €3,000 respectively for negligence.