Accident closes slide
The World’s Tallest Inflatable Slide was closed down after a Titahi Bay woman broke her leg in three places when she hit the inflatable end.
The slide was set up in Te Rauparaha Park from January 20, but the next day Anna Te Pune broke her ankle while going down it with her 8-year-old daughter.
‘‘I didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. I just rode down the slide,’’ Te Pune said.
‘‘We just hit the end and I yelled out.
‘‘There was a bit jutting out of my leg. You could see this big lump.’’
She was taken to hospital and had surgery two days later, leaving her with four screws and a metal plate in her ankle. The mother of two is bedridden for six weeks.
She said what upset her most about the situation was that the man operating the slide did not offer any help or stop children from going down the slide afterwards.
‘‘ He sort of had a look, turned around and went back.
‘‘Apparently he spoke to the ambulance people, but I would be very surprised. I don’t think he spoke to them.’’
She said she had assumed the slide would be safe, but was now warning other parents of its danger and the lack of regulations, including no age or height limit.
‘‘My concern is there are people all over the country getting on the slide and some getting injuries.’’
Event Fun runs the slide and manager Eric Gerryson said he was standing by the safety of his slide.
‘‘I’ve watched thousands of people come down that slide. Never have I known of anybody to get hurt,’’ he said.
‘‘There is nothing unsafe about it at all. I have no explanation at all. How she broke her ankle I have no idea.
‘‘ If you are going to do something where there are extremities there is an element of risk involved.
‘‘I’m bloody sympathetic to her. It sucks. Nobody wants to do that when you want to have a good time.’’
He said the only injury that sometimes occurred was carpet burn from the velcro when the slide was used without water.
He said Porirua City Council made the decision to pull the slide down on January 24.
‘‘There is no reason why it shouldn’t have stayed up.’’
He said the operator had called him about the accident and it would be investigated.