The bench of a folding table at the Berkley Street Elementary School in New Milford, New Jersey collapsed and hit a 7-year-old student on Wednesday night, killing the boy.

The victim was a student of Gibbs Elementary School who was in Berkley Street to attend an indoor recreation soccer program. The fold-down table and benches are stored and attached to the wall, reports Seattle Times.

Like Us on Facebook

The bench was made of wood and steel and weighed 108 pounds. It hit the boy on the head, said Detective Lt. Frank Ramaci, who added he is not sure if the student touched the bench or table to cause it to fall or if it was properly secured to the wall.

Due to these unknown circumstances, Ramaci said there is no evidence of criminality on the part of the school, so far.

The tables and benches installed 11 years ago and this is the first time that Berkley Street had any problem with them, said School Superintendent Michael Polizzi. He added that the tables, ever since, had been in good working condition.

Mobile folding tables used in many schools across the U.S. since the mid-1990s actually have potential safety risks, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission had been warning for about 25 years now, said Patty Davis, the spokeswoman of the commission.

The warnings are based on reports of injuries and deaths in various schools after the furniture tipped over. Most of these incidents take place after school hours or during non-school activities.

Even if the table at Berkeley Street was different from what the commission warned, the office is still investigating the incident.

Due to the incident, the school suspended practices in the gym for a few days while the tables and chairs are being inspected, said New Milford Recreation Director John Bigger.

Tagsschool table