Five children dead, four injured after wind lifts bouncy castle into air

Five children are dead and four were critically injured after they fell 32 feet from a bouncy castle that was lifted into the air by the wind.

Children at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Australia were at an end of school year event when the incident happened.

“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 that were killed include two girls and two boys — the gender of the fifth child who died later in the hospital is not known at this time. Four other children are still in the hospital with serious injuries.

“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.

Helicopters and emergency services were sent to the school to treat the children and take them to the hospital, reported CNN.

“This is a very tragic event and our thoughts are with the families and the wider school community, and also our first responders,” Police Commander Debbie Williams told reporters at the school on Thursday.

“There is no doubt that this has been a very confronting and distressing scene. Counseling is being made available to the families affected by this in the school community along with the first responders,” she said.

The school closed early for the day and parents were told to come pick up their children.

“I’m certain that I speak for all Tasmanians in extending my deepest sympathies to the family, friends and loved ones of everyone affected by today’s tragedy,” Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said.

“On a day when schoolchildren are celebrating the end of term so close to Christmas, it’s simply inconceivable that this shocking incident has occurred.”

No further information about the incident was immediately available.

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