Five children hurt as ‘freak tornado’ flips jumping castle
A group of children have been injured after a ‘freak tornado’ flipped a jumping castle several metres into the air in Sydney’s west.
Four children have been rushed to hospital after a jumping castle flew several metres into the air in Sydney’s west.
Officers from Liverpool City Police Area Command and emergency services were called to a Kelvin Park Dr property, Bradfield about 9.30am on Saturday after being told a jumping castle with children inside had detached and blown into the air and across a neighbouring fence.
Five children, three aged nine and a 12 and 13-year-old were treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics for minor injuries and four were taken to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, where they remain in a stable condition.
A spokesperson from the company of the jumping castle said the owners had informed him there was a “massive wind” caused by a “freak tornado”.
“I’m glad the children are OK, that’s a positive thing,” he said.
The owners of the property also reportedly had a generator that was “ripped away” by the wind, the spokesman said.
It’s believed police will refer it to WorkSafe as it was on private property.
Back in 2021, a jumping castle tragedy in Tasmania killed six children and seriously injured three.
The victims, who were on a bouncy castle at a primary school fun day in Devonport, Tasmania, fell about 10m after strong winds blew the castle skywards at a Hillcrest Primary School fair.
This year the jumping castle operator, Rosemary Anne Gamble, who was charged with failing to comply with health and safety duties, was found not guilty
The court ruled the incident was “due to an unprecedented weather system” that was “impossible to predict”.
Police have handed the jumping castle incident to WorkSafe to investigate and inspectors have begun making inquiries on the site.
“SafeWork NSW is responding to an incident at Bringelly after a number of children were injured following a jumping castle incident,” a SafeWork NSW spokesperson said.
Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis told the publication she was “deeply concerned” to learn of the “terrible incident”.
“A number of children suffered injuries from a jumping castle,” she said. “I would like to extend my thoughts to the children and families of all those affected.
At the scene this afternoon, the jumping castle has been deflated and WorkSafe inspectors surround the site, while the winds remained strong.
Police have taped off the property’s driveway, with officers guarding the home.
“I want to express my deepest concern for the children and families affected by today’s tragic jumping-castle collapse during sudden strong winds,” Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun said.
“Our thoughts are with the injured and their loved ones at this distressing time. I also want to thank our emergency services, who continue to do extraordinary work in trying and unpredictable circumstances.”
Originally published as Five children hurt as ‘freak tornado’ flips jumping castle
