Bouncy castle horror
Five children killed as wind hurls inflatable 30ft into air in Australia
FIvE children plunged to their deaths and several others were critically injured yesterday when a bouncy castle was swept 30ft in the air by a freak gust of wind.
The horror unfolded on the Australian island of Tasmania as children were celebrating their last day at Hillcrest Primary School before the Christmas holidays.
It is believed the wind lifted the inflatable in the air before it came crashing down into a tree around 160ft away.
Four were killed at the scene while a fifth died in hospital. Police said two boys and two girls, aged 11 and 12, were among the victims.
All the pupils were in grades five or six – typically aged ten to 12.
Four others of the same age are in hospital in critical condition.
Parents rushed to the scene in floods of
‘Hearts are breaking for the families’
tears as word of the tragedy spread through the small town of Devonport.
One of the victims, Zane Gardam in grade 6 was named by friends and family who praised him as a ‘beautiful, caring, gentle soul’.
Addison Stewart, also believed to be a pupil in grade 6, was identified by family who described her as ‘a sweet, kind soul’ in online tributes.
Both families have set up GoFundMe pages in their memory to raise money.
Tasmania police commissioner Darren Hine said: ‘On a day when these children were meant to be celebrating their last day of primary school, instead we’re all mourning their loss.
‘Our hearts are breaking for the families and the loved ones, school mates, teachers of these young people who were taken too soon.’
Tragic images emerged of parents hugging one another as they waited to hear the names of the dead and injured. Shocked police were seen sitting on the grass being consoled by colleagues at the rear of the school while large sheets of plastic were erected to hide the victims.
Blue parts of the castle could be seen caught up in the branches of a gum tree in a field adjoining the school grounds.
One mother wrote on Facebook she had arrived at the school at 11.30am but she and other parents were not being allowed in and no information was being made available.
A television reporter who was among those to arrive at the school said he saw parents ‘just running, running down the street screaming’.
Police said a coroner’s investigation into the deaths has been opened. Authorities have yet to reveal just how many children were on the inflatable when it was swept away.
One young boy told The Mercury newspaper that he narrowly missed out on being on the castle. ‘It was our turn next.’
Prime minister Scott Morrison described the incident as ‘horrific - just shattering’, adding: ‘It is just unthinkably heartbreaking. Young children on a fun day together with their families and it turns into such a horrific tragedy at this time of the year. It just breaks your heart.’
Bob Smith, who lives near the school, told last night of seeing the castle fly up but said he was not aware of the tragic outcome until a short time later.
‘There was one really strong gust of wind on what was a beautiful, calm day. We heard police and the ambulance – it was pretty bad. The poor parents. I don’t know what they’re going to do.’ The
Tasmanian tragedy has grim echoes of fatal bouncy castle incidents in this country.
In 2018, three-year-old Ava-May Littleboy died after she was thrown 20ft when an inflatable exploded at Gorleston Beach, Norfolk.
And in 2016, seven-year-old Summer Grant from Norwich, died after becoming trapped in a bouncy castle that blew hundreds of yards across a fairground in Harlow, Essex.
Two fairground workers were jailed for manslaughter by gross negligence after failing to secure the castle properly.