Police in Australia say five children have died and four others have been wounded after falling from a bouncy castle that was thrown into the air.
The accident occurred on Thursday at a primary school fun day in Devonport, Tasmania, and was caused by a wind gust. The youngsters had fallen from a height of 10 meters (32 feet), with both girls and boys among the victims, according to police.
Authorities did not provide their ages, but stated they were all in grades five or six, which is normal for youngsters around ten to twelve years old. “The jumping castle and inflatable balls were apparently lifted into the air by a wind gust,” Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said.
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“Our hearts grieve for the families and loved ones of these young individuals who were gone far too soon, as well as their classmates and instructors.” “It simply hurts your heart,” says Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
The catastrophe was termed as “unthinkably tragic” by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
“Young children on a fun day out… and it turns into such a horrific tragedy. At this time of year, “it just breaks your heart,” he said. Hillcrest Primary School was quickly evacuated by paramedics after the accident at about 10.00 local time (23:00 Wednesday GMT).
The children were given first aid before being flown in helicopters to hospital. Four children were initially pronounced dead and a fifth child later died in hospital.
Parents were alerted immediately following the incident, which happened on the last day of the school year.
ABC reporter Monte Bovill tweeted that locals “have been running to the school to collect their children.” One parent, speaking to a local newspaper, said the school had previously installed such floats on similar occasions with no problems.
“You wouldn’t dream that a fun activity day would end like this,” the woman told the Hobart Mercury. “We all feel so heartbroken for the parents involved. And feel guilty that we are also relieved our children were not injured. “
A coroner’s investigation was under way, police said. Devonport, on Tasmania’s northern coast, is a small port city with just under 30,000 residents.
There have been other fatal bouncy castle incidents. In 2019, two children were killed and 20 others injured in a similar accident in China.
A year earlier, a girl died in the UK after being thrown from a bouncy castle that eyewitnesses say exploded on a Norfolk beach.
And two fairground workers were jailed for manslaughter by gross negligence after a bouncy castle blew away with seven-year-old Summer Grant inside in Essex in March 2016.
