Barramurra Public School, Oran Park: 10 injured, three students taken to hospital with minor injuries after performance incident

A girl has described crying after lighting equipment fell during a primary school performance in Sydney’s southwest, injuring eight of her fellow students and two members of the audience.

A girl has described crying and feeling “freaked out” after lighting equipment fell during a primary school performance in Sydney’s southwest, injuring eight of her fellow students and two members of the audience.

Three of the injured Barramurra Public School students have been hospitalised as a result of Wednesday’s incident, which is now under investigation.

In a statement, the NSW Department of Education said a piece of equipment had fallen during an end of term performance at the Oran Park school.

“The school immediately contacted emergency services and provided first aid to those injured,” the department said.

“Three students have been transported to hospital with minor injuries, while the remaining students and audience members were treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics on-site.

An injured student is taken from the scene after Wednesday’s incident. Picture: TNV

“SafeWork is investigating the incident, and the school is providing support to students, staff and families.”

A NSW Ambulance spokeswoman said one of the injured students had been taken to Campbelltown Hospital, while the other two were transported to Westmead Children’s Hospital.

The NSW Department of Education said 10 people, including eight students, were injured. Picture: TNV

Posts on the school’s Facebook page revealed it was hosting an end of term “showcase”, called “It’s all a bit Grimm...”, with performances on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Millie, an eight-year-old student at the school, told this masthead she had been performing on Wednesday when she “all of a sudden heard a big bump”.

“I looked back and my friends all looked back because it freaked me out,” she said.

“We were too close and I was crying because of that.

Barramurra Public School student Millie, 8, who witnessed the incident. Picture: Inasha Iftekhar

Student Millie, 8, said she had been “freaked out” by the incident.

“It freaked me out because I thought my friends were near it and my friend will get hurt because of how big (the light) it is.”

Millie said she never wanted to go back into the school hall after seeing what happened to the other students, some of whom she said were only in kindergarten.

Her mother, who asked not to be named, said she arrived at the school around midday on Wednesday to watch Millie perform in the school “showcase”, only to find a line of ambulances parked outside.

“I didn’t even know about anything until I came here,” the woman told this masthead.

“No one was notified. No one knew about it.”

Barramurra Public School in Oran Park. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

The mother said the school principal eventually came out and announced the remaining “showcase” performances had been cancelled, without providing any context regarding the incident.

Another mother, who has a six-year-old son with autism, also expressed frustration with the lack of communication from the school.

A male student had earlier told TNV “a light fell on some kid, and couple of people got injured”.

“A little girl got injured ... she was bleeding, but she’s OK,” he said.

Barramurra Public School in Oran Park. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

A woman named Veronica, who identified herself as student’s grandmother, told TNV she had gone to the school on Wednesday afternoon to watch her granddaughter perform.

She said she had arrived to learn that particular performance had been cancelled because of an earlier accident, in which “lighting had fallen on a child”.

“It’s scary,” she said.

“The first thing you think is ‘how is my grandchild’,” she said.

Education Minister Prue Car has requested updates from the department on the incident, and expressed sympathy for those impacted.

“My thoughts are with the students, their families and the entire Barramurra school community,“ she said.

“The department is offering support to those affected, an investigation is underway, and I have asked the department to keep me updated on this issue.”