Bouncy castle accident in Australia kills four children

Four children are in a critical condition after a gust of wind blew the bouncy castle into the air, with the children falling from a height of about 10 metres

They were at a primary school party in Tasmania celebrating the last week of classes before the Christmas break

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Emergency services are seen at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania, after a jumping castle was blown into the air. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 2:40pm, 16 Dec 2021Updated: 2:57pm, 16 Dec 2021

Four young children were killed and several others were seriously injured when a gust of wind blew their bouncy castle into the air at an end-of-term party in Australia on Thursday.

Police said the pupils at a primary school in northern Tasmania were celebrating the last week of classes before the Christmas break when they were thrown from a height of about 10 metres (33 feet).

“I can now sadly confirm that four children have died and four are in a critical condition and one in a serious condition,” Tasmanian police commissioner Darren Hine said.

The victims were two boys and two girls from grade six – aged around 11 years old.

Worksafe Tasmania officers inspect the jumping castle at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport on Thursday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Several rescue helicopters and ambulances had rushed to the scene after the incident, which occurred around 10am local time on an otherwise sunny, early summer day.

Images showed attending police officers in tears, and blue tarpaulin sheets shielding what officers described as “a very confronting and distressing scene”.