Disasters & Accidents

Australian police investigate fatal bouncy castle incident

Sydney, Australia, Dec 17 (EFE).- Australian police were on Friday continuing their investigation into the “tragic incident” in which five children were killed and four were seriously injured when wind lifted a bouncy castle and inflatable zorb balls into the air.

“Police are continuing to investigate the matter alongside WorkSafe Tasmania, and we are preparing a report for the coroner,” Tasmania Police said in a statement following the accident on Wednesday at Hillcrest Primary School.

Three boys and two girls between 11 and 12 years old died, while three of the injured remain in critical condition and another is recovering at home, police said.

According to the preliminary investigation, on Thursday morning, the children fell from a height of about 10 meters after a “a significant local wind event” lifted the bouncy castle and several zorb balls into the air during end-of-year activities at the school in Devonport, in the north of the island.

Around 40 children were taking part in the activities when the accident occurred, police said Thursday.

“There’s no doubt this incident will leave its mark,” the police added, offering psychological support to those affected.

The authorities indicated that parents and adults at the event were the first to tend to the injured while they waited for emergency services.

Some residents in the town of about 25,500 people turned off the Christmas lights Thursday night as a sign of mourning, while a candlelight vigil took place outside the school. EFE

aus-nc/tw

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