Shocking footage shows the moment six children were injured when a bouncy castle was flipped over by powerful gusts of wind, sending them plummeting to the ground in China.
Several adults tried to grab the unanchored structure as it was carried off by the wind in Tongshan County, Xianning City in the province of Hubei, China on December 18.
The incident came two days after a bouncy castle was picked up by a ‘mini-tornado’ and blown 10 metres in the air in Devenport, Tasmania, killing six children.
In the Chinese footage, parents of the children tried to grab the bouncy castle to secure it, but they were violently knocked to the ground when it slammed into them, before the huge inflatable structure folded in half.
The footage shows the huge inflatable structure being turned onto its side by the gusts and spinning as children were hurled to the concrete ground.
Children’s cries could be heard after the freak wind had died down and the structure was left folded into itself.
Local reports said six children were taken to hospital for treatment but it was not clear how seriously they were injured.
Staff at the tourist area where the bouncy castle was placed have reportedly distanced themselves from the incident, saying that the attraction is privately owned and had nothing to do with them.
t has been reported that the accident is now being investigated by local authorities.
Meanwhile, yesterday it was announced that a sixth child had died following the jumping castle disaster in Australia.
Tasmanian police commissioner Darren Hine confirmed that 11-year-old Chace Harrison died on Sunday afternoon – three days after the horrific accident.
The tragedy unfolded on December 16 at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, northern Tasmania, when the bouncing house was picked up by a ‘mini-tornado’.
On Friday, police released the names of the five other Year 5 and 6 students who lost their lives in the disaster – Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, all age 12, and Addison Stewart, 11.
Two children are in a critical condition at Royal Hobart Hospital, and 12-year-old Beau Medcraft was released on Friday to recover at home.
Premier Peter Gutwein said Chace’s family are traumatised, but agreed to allow authorities to release his name.
‘We have offices there with them and to make sure they can travel back to Devonport safely, so we have a support mechanism to help them deal with this unbelievable and traumatic situation,’ he said.
When asked how long the police investigation into the disaster will take, Mr Gutwein said: It is too early to say but there is a lot of pieces of the investigation that need to be pulled together.
‘We don’t want to rush it but we also understand that the community wants answers.’
Mr Gutwein also explained there were more than 40 Year 5 and 6 children at the graduation celebration on Thursday morning.
‘We know it is difficult for those involved so we want to make sure we have the best services interview all those children who are affected,’ he said.
