The family of a girl who died in a jumping castle accident five years ago are calling for the inflatables to be banned in the wake of the Tasmanian tragedy.
The uncle of Summer Grant, a British seven-year-old girl who died when a jumping castle she was in blew away in 2016, has urged for the inflatables to be banned after a similar accident killed five children in Devonport in the state’s north on Thursday.
Summer died after strong winds blew the jumping castle more than 150m across a park in Essex in the UK.
Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, all age 12, and their classmate Addison Stewart, 11, lost their lives this week when a jumping castle flew 10 metres into the air during a ‘mini tornado’ at Hillcrest Primary School.
The uncle of Summer Grant (above), a British seven-year-old who was killed after a jumping castle flew into the air, is calling for a ban on the inflatables after Thursday’s Tasmanian tragedy
Five young children lost their lives on Thursday after a ‘mini tornado’ at Hillcrest primary School (above) in Devonport, Tasmania, caused a jumping castle to fly 10 metres into the air
Summer Grant’s (above) uncle said jumping castles should be banned to protect children’s lives after highlighting similarities between the two tragedies
Three more children are fighting for life at Royal Hobart hospital, and one was released and will continue to recover at home.
Summer’s uncle, Shawn Grant, highlighted the similarities between the tragedies and said strong action needs to be taken now.
‘I don’t know what it is going to take for there to be a ban. How many children need to die?,’ Mr Grant told UK newspaper Your Harlow.
‘Our hearts go out to the families in Australia. We know what that heartache feels like.’
The manslaughter trial for Summer’s death called for proper wind speed measuring equipment to be made compulsory equipment at fairs.
Peter Dodt, 12, was one of the five victims of the Tasmania jumping castle tragedy
Addison Stewart (above), 11, died after a jumping castle in Tasmania was blown 10 metres into the air
Jye Sheehan (above), 12, died along with four other classmates on Thursday while they were celebrating the end of term
Zane Mellor (above), 12, died after a ‘mini tornado’ hit his school and sent a jumping castle 10 metres into the air
Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones (above), 12, died with four other classmates on Thursday during end-of-term celebrations
However Mr Grant believes this isn’t enough and a ban should be placed on inflatable houses to protect children in the future.
‘We are talking about children’s lives, as was proven with Summer as well as the young girl that died in Norfolk and now this in Australia,’ he said.
Many people agreed with Mr Grant and are voicing their pleas for a ban on Twitter.
‘Time to ban these things…RIP little ones,’ one user wrote.
Three more children are fighting for life at Royal Hobart hospital after the Thursday incident, and one was released and will continue to recover at home
Harrowing eye witness accounts describe the desolate scene of the incident
Many social media users agreed the Tasmanian tragedy proves the inflatables are too dangerous
‘Ban jumping castles accidents and deaths all over the world. BAN inflatable play equipment!’ another said.
At a press conference on Friday morning, police refused to say whether the Tasmanian jumping castle was tied down when into flew the air on Thursday.
‘Was the jumping castle tethered at all?’ one reporter asked.
‘That forms part of the investigation,’ Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said.
Pictured are tributes outside Hillcrest Primary School. An outpouring of grief from the public have seen people demanding a ban on the inflatables
Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine could not reveal key details of the incident due to an ongoing investigation
‘It is fair to say that those injured were inside the castle. We need to piece the movements of the individuals together so we can present a full picture to the coroner.’
Seven zorb balls, which are large and inflatable balls that children stand inside, also took flight during the strong wind gust – but the commissioner again remained tight-lipped about the details.
‘What was the connection with the zorb balls, were they inside the castle or outside?’ a reporter asked.
Speculation as to whether the inflatable was tethered down or not has not been answered
Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said there were close to 40 Year 5 and 6 students taking part in the end-of-term activities at the time
‘That will form part of the investigation,’ he said.
‘But my understanding is that the zorb balls were outside. But it will form part of the investigation.’
Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said there were close to 40 Year 5 and 6 students taking part in the end-of-term activities at the time.
Harrowing accounts came from eyewitnesses at the scene, who described seeing distraught parents broken down in the gutter, sobbing
‘Several adults were also in attendance when the inflatable equipment lifted into the air and they rendered first aid until emergency services arrived,’ he said.
Harrowing accounts came from eyewitnesses at the scene, who described seeing distraught parents broken down in the gutter, sobbing.
Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein described the Thursday tragedy as ‘beyond comprehension.’
A fundraiser created by a local woman to help the Tasmanian victims’ families reached more than $700,000 within the first 24 hours
Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the accident as ‘unthinkably heartbreaking’.
‘Young children on a fun day out, together with their families and it turns to such horrific tragedy. At this time of year, it just breaks your heart,’ he said while on a visit on the NSW Central Coast.
‘It just breaks your heart.’
A fundraiser created by a local woman to help the Tasmanian victims’ families reached more than $700,000 within the first 24 hours.
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk