Australia - 6 children die, several injured, jumping castle blown in air, Tasmania,16 Dec 2021

[PrimeSuspect]

Five children have died and four others remain in hospital after wind picked up a jumping castle and threw it into the air at an end-of-year activity day at a Tasmanian primary school.

Several grade 5 and 6 students fell from a height of about 10 metres, causing serious injuries, when wind blew the jumping castle into the air at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, in the state's north-west.
.....

Police have not confirmed what was used to anchor down the jumping castle, and have not released the ages of the children involved.

Five children die, several critically injured after jumping castle blown into air at school


This is a shocking tragedy that shouldn't have happened.

 

[Eloise]

This has made me so, so sad. As it has many people across Australia I'm very sure. It's rare even the worst news actually moves me to literal tears but this has. Five kids on their last day of primary school. I'm devastated. Their families grief and shock would be immense but I also think of the teachers and staff, and the first responders too... the image of the police sitting down holding each other makes my tears well up every time I see it.

I feel like it's not time yet for speculating but I'm glad the police, WorkSafe and coroner are already on it.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

This has made me so, so sad. As it has many people across Australia I'm very sure. It's rare even the worst news actually moves me to literal tears but this has. Five kids on their last day of primary school. I'm devastated. Their families grief and shock would be immense but I also think of the teachers and staff, and the first responders too... the image of the police sitting down holding each other makes my tears well up every time I see it.

I feel like it's not time yet for speculating but I'm glad the police, WorkSafe and coroner are already on it.

I'm reading about safety measures with jumping castles, I'm really surprised they're approved for open areas in Tasmania, it's a windy place most times of the year. I'm sure there will be a thorough investigation in a tragedy like this.

 

[Sarahlou]

That's just heartbreaking

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Has this ever happened before?

It's not common but fatal incidents involving jumping castles have happened overseas.
Two children were killed and 20 other people injured in central China in 2019 when a jumping castle was blown into the sky by a dust devil.
In the UK in 2018, a jumping castle reportedly exploded at a beach, killing a child.
Also in the UK, a jumping castle blew away at a fairground and killed a seven-year-old child. Two workers were convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence over the death.

What will happen now?

The coroner has already visited the scene and police are investigating and gathering evidence.
Tasmania Police Commissioner Darren Hine said the investigation would take "quite some time".
He said all evidence gathered would form the basis of a future inquest into the deaths.

How did this happen? Everything we know about the jumping castle tragedy

The Devonport airport reported it wasn't exceptionally windy, not out of the ordinary, it was windy, but not too windy. 22 kph, which is considered mild, over 46 kph is classed as a strong wind.
Those poor children and their parents, a day supposed to be filled with fun and feeling carefree and this happens. I feel sad and quite perplexed by it.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

My heart goes out to the families involved. I had heard of this happening previously (as mentioned above, not in Australia). Were the manufacturer's guidelines followed when setting it up?

 

[dotr]

Oh such a terrible tragedy, cannot even think of the shock and grief of all the families and everyone involved.
Five children dead and four injured after wind lifts bouncy castle into the air
''Children at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, on the north coast of Tasmania, were celebrating the end of the school year when the tragedy occurred.

"Nine grade 5/6 Hillcrest Primary School students fell from a height of around 10 meters after a significant local wind event caused a jumping castle and several inflatable "zorb" balls to lift into the air about 10 am.," Tasmanian Police said in a statement.

The five children include two girls and two boys -- the gender of a fifth child who died later in hospital is not known. Four other children remain in the hospital with serious injuries. Typically children in grade 6 are between 10 and 12 years old.

"On a day where these children were meant to be celebrating their last day at primary school, instead we are all mourning their loss," Commissioner Darren Hine said during a press conference Thursday afternoon.

"Our hearts are breaking for the families and loved ones, school mates and teachers of those children taken too soon," he said.

Emergency services, including helicopters, were dispatched to the school to treat the injured and transport some to hospital.''

 

[Skigh]

Five children killed in freak bouncy castle accident at Australian school | Daily Mail Online


The first victims of an horrific bouncy castle accident in Australia have been identified after five pupils were killed and another three left in critical condition when the inflatable was thrown 30ft in the air by a freak gust of wind.

Zane, a pupil from Hillcrest Primary School on the island of Tasmania, was named by friends and family who praised him as a 'beautiful, caring, gentle soul' following his death during end-of-term celebrations ahead of the Christmas holidays.

Addison, also believed to be a pupil in Year 6, was also identified by family who described her as 'a sweet, kind, old soul' in online tributes.

They died alongside three of their classmates, thought to be aged between 10 and 12, when they fell from the bouncy castle on to the school sports field during a party around 10am on Thursday.

Three others of the same age are currently in hospital in critical condition, with a fifth 'seriously' hurt.

 

[Tower]

I treated a child in the hospital about 15 years ago with temporary paralysis (bruised spinal cord) and a minor head injury from this type of incident. (I hesitate to call it an accident because it was an error in judgment.) He recovered fully after about 2 weeks. These poor children and their families.

Bouncy house companies in my city will not deliver or set up if wind above a certain level is forecasted.

 

[IceIce9]

I have heard about accidents involving these jumping castles and inflatable bounce houses. In some cases they were not properly set up or anchored. Not saying this is the case here but I have always thought that a professional should set up these castles and other inflatables. Maybe the rental price should include set up to ensure it is being placed in a safe location and properly tied down.

 

[Tower]

I have heard about accidents involving these jumping castles and inflatable bounce houses. In some cases they were not properly set up or anchored. Not saying this is the case here but I have always thought that a professional should set up these castles and other inflatables. Maybe the rental price should include set up to ensure it is being placed in a safe location and properly tied down.

These things are like giant wind sails. Even when properly tied down and with the weight of kids inside, with enough wind, they obviously fly into the air. The wind is the problem. There is no way to safely tie them down if it’s windy.

 

[Eloise]

First responders to Tasmania's jumping castle tragedy went 'above and beyond' for the victims

The Australian rules and regulations surrounding jumping castles like the one used in Tasmania

 

[sunnybree]

Some more very sad news:

Tasmania’s jumping castle tragedy claims sixth life after boy, 11, dies in hospital

 

[Jax49]

Tasmania’s jumping castle tragedy claims sixth life after boy, 11, dies in hospital

Two children remain in a critical condition in Royal Hobart Hospital and another child is in recovery at home.



Devonport disaster: PM visits site of tragedy as jumping castles banned at Tasmania schools
Read more
“It is with a heavy heart that I can confirm a sixth child has lost his life following the tragedy,” Hine told reporters in Hobart.

 

[everybodhi]

These things are like giant wind sails. Even when properly tied down and with the weight of kids inside, with enough wind, they obviously fly into the air. The wind is the problem. There is no way to safely tie them down if it’s windy.

Even when they don’t blow up in the air kids get injured jumping in them and colliding.

 

[Eloise]

Jumping castle safety concerns on items bought online after Tasmania tragedy
I see these advertised all the time, like it's nbd. But who would ever stop to think about not inflating them, or deflating them, once wind gusts get to a certain point? Probably very few people. I wonder if they'll remain legal.

Jumping castles now banned in Tasmanian schools following Hillcrest tragedy
It's an indefinite ban, for now. This article has photos of the inflatable involved in the incident (but not of the incident itself).

Jumping castle tragedy in Tasmania claims sixth victim, as survivor visits Hillcrest school site

 

[Doesitmakesense]

I saw the news of the sixth child today. I hope the two that remain in hospital make a full recovery.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Jumping castle safety concerns on items bought online after Tasmania tragedy
I see these advertised all the time, like it's nbd. But who would ever stop to think about not inflating them, or deflating them, once wind gusts get to a certain point? Probably very few people. I wonder if they'll remain legal.

Jumping castles now banned in Tasmanian schools following Hillcrest tragedy
It's an indefinite ban, for now. This article has photos of the inflatable involved in the incident (but not of the incident itself).

Jumping castle tragedy in Tasmania claims sixth victim, as survivor visits Hillcrest school site

Oh my , it's worse than I thought, it doesn't look anything like those big sturdy ones from years ago at my kid's school fete, with the noisy generator and clearly anchored down with an operator standing by, they weren't very colourful either. I'm not familar with these ones.
This is just so, so tragic. I totally agree with the ban.

 

[Eloise]

Oh my , it's worse than I thought, it doesn't look anything like those big sturdy ones from years ago at my kid's school fete, with the noisy generator and clearly anchored down with an operator standing by, they weren't very colourful either. I'm not familar with these ones.
This is just so, so tragic. I totally agree with the ban.

indeed, it seems quite small. It's been years since my children went on jumping castles but when they did they were at a big market with a side show, and the inflatables were way bigger than this with big engine things and the operators were scrupulous about clearing them out or even deflating them in windy weather.

if it was hired as a 'self operation' kind of deal rather than coming with an experienced operator, then I'd imagine the trauma and guilt of the school staff would be compounded many times over. I've read nothing about who the operator is, or if they had staff on site.

 

[SouthAussie]

<RSBM>
if it was hired as a 'self operation' kind of deal rather than coming with an experienced operator, then I'd imagine the trauma and guilt of the school staff would be compounded many times over. I've read nothing about who the operator is, or if they had staff on site.

There is a Herald Sun article that identifies the hire company as Taz-Zorb Launceston.

The article says that the owner of the company has 'gone to ground'. That the company's FB page and website have both been removed.

The company supplied the jumping castle and the zorb balls.

The Herald Sun looked up the company on the ASIC site and says that they have been registered since 2012.

On the company's website (before it was taken down) they were advertising a crayon-themed jumping castle that was 'new to Tasmania'. (I don't know if this is the castle that was rented to the school.)

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