Hillcrest jumping castle tragedy will hear from the manufacturer
Further details have emerged over the jumping castle at the centre of the Hillcrest Primary School tragedy.
Tasmania
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The company that sold an inflatable jumping castle to Taz-Zorb owner Rosemary Gamble about six years before it was at the centre of the Hillcrest school tragedy assured her the product was up to standard.
“Our products are produced according to Australian standards, even certified by the most strict European standards,” East Inflatables employee Fiona Chen said to Ms Gamble in an email around the time she bought the jumping castle.
“Hence, don’t worry about product quality.”
The second day of the hearing into the Hillcrest tragedy wrapped up in the Devonport Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
The hearing is expected to go until November 15.
Ms Gamble has been charged with one count of failure to comply with health and safety duty category 2, to which she has entered a plea of not guilty.
The charges relate to an incident that took place on December 16, 2021, where six children died at Hillcrest Primary School. Students Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Jalailah Jayne-Marie Jones, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan and Chace Harrison were killed when the jumping castle Ms Gamble operated was flung 10m into the air by a freak wind gust.
Earlier on Wednesday, photographs of the blood-stained jumping castle were shown to the courtroom.
Tasmania Police Senior Constable Dean Wotherspoon, the first witness on day one of the hearing, continued giving evidence on Wednesday.
While he was on the stand, the court was shown pictures of the jumping castle that police had re-inflated after the tragedy.
The jumping castle had visible blood stains on it.
Prosecutor Madeline Wilson told the court that DNA testing of the blood matched with Chace Harrison, Peter Dodt, Zane Mellorand Lucas Reed – with the latter being the only one of the four students who survived the incident.
Blood from Chace Harrison and Lucas Reed was also found on one of the three Zorb balls that went airborne, along with the jumping castle, during the incident.
Senior Constable Wotherspoon was also showed pictures of the D-rings attached to the jumping castle’s eight anchor points. One D-ring was missing from an anchor point on the jumping castle.
When describing the condition of the D-rings to the court, Senior Constable Wotherspoon said that some had “separation of the joining”.
The court also heard evidence from East Inflatables sales manager Andy Chen via Zoom, who said through a translator that Ms Gamble should have received eight pegs when she ordered the jumping castle.
Her defence lawyer, Chris Dockray, said she had only received four pegs when she purchased the inflatable.
Australian law requires a minimum of eight pegs when operating a jumping castle.
When queried, Mr Chen told the court that the number of pegs sent with the jumping castles “averages four to eight”.
“Averages four to eight pegs?” Magistrate Robert Webster asked.
“In general, yes,” the translator replied.
Mr Chen said all of East Inflatables’ jumping castles were quality tested before being sold to customers.
He also told the court that Ms Gamble had been sent an operating manual along with the jumping castle.
Mr Dockray had previously said that his client had not received a manual.
Query over jumping castle pegs
When Taz-Zorb owner Rosemary Gamble bought the jumping castle at the centre of the Hillcrest school tragedy from East Inflatables, she could have also received anywhere between four and eight pegs with it — a court has heard.
On Tuesday, Ms Gamble’s Defense Lawyer, Chris Dockray, said she had only received four pegs when she purchased the inflatable.
Australian law requires a minimum of eight pegs when operating a jumping castle.
East Inflatables sales manager Andy Chen gave evidence in Devonport Magistrates Court on Wednesday during a criminal case hearing.
Ms Gamble has pleaded not guilty to one count of failure to comply with health and safety duty category 2 over the events of December 16, 2021, at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, which resulted in the deaths of six children.
WorkSafe Tasmania contacted East Inflatables on March 24, 2022, regarding the jumping castles they sold.
In an email response, the company told WorkSafe Tasmania that it provided eight pegs with its jumping castles.
However, Mr Chen, via a translator, told the court on Wednesday that the number of pegs sent with the jumping castles “averages four to eight”.
“Averages four to eight pegs?” Magistrate Robert Webster asked for clarification.
“In general, yes,” the translator replied.
Mr Chen said all of East Inflatable’s jumping castles were quality tested before being sold to customers.
He also told the court that Ms Gamble had been sent an operating manual along with the jumping castle.
Mr Dockray had previously said that his client had not received a manual.
The hearing continues.
Images shown to courtroom
Photographs of the blood-stained jumping castle at the centre of the Hillcrest Primary School tragedy were shown to a courtroom during the criminal hearing on Wednesday against the woman who operated the inflatable.
Rosemary Anne Gamble has been charged with one count of failure to comply with health and safety duty category 2 over the events of December 16, 2021, at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, which resulted in the deaths of six children.
Ms Gamble, owner of Taz-Zorb, has pleaded not guilty.
Tasmania Police Senior Constable Dean Wotherspoon continued to give evidence during the morning of day two of the hearing at Devonport Magistrates Court.
While he was on the stand, the court was shown pictures of the jumping castle that police had re-inflated up after the tragedy.
The jumping castle had visible blood stains on it.
Prosecutor Madeline Wilson told the court that DNA testing of the blood matched with Chace Harrison, Peter Dodt, Zane Mellor and Lucas Reed – with the latter being the only one of the four who survived the incident.
Blood from Chace Harrison and Lucas Reed was also found on one of the three zorb balls that went airborne, along with the jumping castle, during the incident.
Representatives from East Inflatables, which manufactured the jumping castle involved in the Hillcrest tragedy, are also set to give evidence today.
Jumping castle manufacturer to give evidence
Representatives of the company that manufactured the inflatable jumping castle involved in the Hillcrest Primary School tragedy will be giving evidence during day two of the court hearing into the deaths of six children at the school in December, 2021.
Rosemary Anne Gamble, owner of Taz-Zorb and the operator of the jumping castle on the day of the incident, is defending a charge against her after the inflatable she was using at Hillcrest was flung 10m in the air.
Students Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Jalailah Jayne-Marie Jones, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan and Chace Harrison were killed during the incident.
Employees of East Inflatables are expected to give evidence around 11.30am on Wednesday.
The representatives of the Chinese-based inflatable company will be calling into the Devonport Magistrates Court via Zoom.
A translator will be in the courtroom relaying what the East Inflatables employees are saying.
Tasmania Police Constable Dean Wotherspoon, who was one of the first emergency services crew on site the day of the tragedy, is also expected to continue giving evidence.
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