Devonport jumping castle: Two children dead after falling 10m at Hillcrest Primary School
Two children are dead and several others fighting for life after falling TEN metres from a jumping castle blown into the air during freak wind event at primary school
Two children dead after jumping castle lifted into air at Tasmania primary school Several other children are in a critical condition, Tasmania Police confirmedStudents at Devonport primary school fell after inflatable was lifted into the air Two rescue helicopters and multiple ambulances have been sent to the scene
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Two children have died and several others are in a critical condition after they fell from a jumping castle that was thrown into the air at a Tasmanian primary school.
Police said students fell about 10m from the jumping castle after a wind gust lifted it into the air at Hillcrest Primary School, near Devonport about 10am on Thursday.
Two rescue helicopters and multiple ambulances were sent to the scene.
Two children have died and several others are in a critical condition in hospital, Tasmania Police Commander Debbie Williams said.
The inflatable castle was part of a celebration to mark the last day of school, which also included zorb balls, a slippery slide and a wet play zone.
‘A wind event caused a jumping castle to lift into the air,’ police said in a statement.
Paramedics are pictured at Hillcrest Primary School, near Devonport in Tasmania. Two children have died and several others left in a critical condition after they fell from a jumping castle at the school
‘Several children fell from a height of about 10 metres about 10am.’
Residents have been told to avoid the area.
‘Tragically I can confirm that there are two deceased children after an incident today at Hillcrest Primary School,’ she said.
‘Counselling is being made available to the families affected by this in the school community along with the first responders.’
Images at the scene showed a wall of tarpaulin sheets set up as paramedics worked desperately to save those who had been injured.
Comm Williams said officers were called to ‘a very confronting and distressing scene’.
The primary school said in a statement its grounds would be closed for the rest of the day.
‘We ask that parents come to collect their children as a matter of urgency,’ the statement read.
The primary school said in a statement there had been an accident and the site would be closed for the rest of the day
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was ‘heartbreaking’ that what was meant to be a fun-filled day of activities turned into a tragedy.
‘Young children on a fun day out and it turns to such a horrific tragedy, at this time of year,’ he said.
‘It just breaks your heart.’
Premier Peter Gutwein addressed the incident at a Covid press conference on Thursday. He said it was understood ‘there are serious injuries involved’.
The school is in Devonport in northern Tasmania (pictured). Hillcrest Primary School had posted online before the accident advertising its ‘Big Day In’ celebration to parents
Hillcrest Primary School pictured. ‘Several children fell from a height of about 10 metres about 10am,’ a Tasmania Police spokesman said
‘As further information comes to hand we will provide it, but as this involves a primary school my thoughts are with the people involved and the parents,’ he said.
Ambulance Tasmania said it was responding to a ‘major incident’ and urged motorists in the state’s north-west to give way to emergency vehicles.
A woman wrote on Facebook that she had a friend who was ‘racing to the school’ and ‘saw ambulances everywhere’.
‘I’ve just been on the phone to a friend who was racing to the school – she’s a wreck,’ the woman wrote.
Ambulance Tasmania said in a statement that it was responding to a ‘major incident’
Locals on Facebook said the wind was not that strong on Thursday and that a freak gust must have ripped the jumping castle from the pegs holding it to the ground.
‘It’s not even that windy down here,’ one person wrote.
The school had posted online before the accident advertising its ‘Big Day In’ celebration to parents.
‘Students will have the opportunity to rotate through a range of activities with their cohort,’ the school wrote.
More to come
