Four children were killed this morning (Thursday) and five others were injured, including four seriously, when a strong wind blew a 10-meter-high inflatable castle set up in an elementary school in Tasmania County, Australia, and they fell from it.
The shock at the disaster scene in Australia:
The incident occurred at 10 a.m. local time at a school in Devonport, the third largest city in the county in terms of population. The inflatable castle was set up at the school for the end-of-year celebrations there, and the wind carried it in the air while there were close to ten children inside. They were all fifth- and sixth-graders.
Following the disaster, two rescue helicopters and several ambulances were called to the scene, but they were forced to determine the deaths of some of the wounded. The four killed are two boys and two girls.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was a devastating and heartbreaking event: “Little kids on a fun day out, with their families, and it ended in such a tragedy at this time of year. It just breaks the heart,” he told reporters. Tasmanian Prime Minister Peter Gutwein said on television: “It is inconceivable that this shocking tragedy has occurred.”
3 View the gallery
One of the greatest disasters ever in Australia’s entertainment business
(Photo: EPA)
One of the students at the school, who was interviewed by The Mercury, said that the wind hit moments before it was his turn to go up to the castle. “We were next in line,” he said. “Fifth-sixth graders went up first.”
At the moment it is not clear how the wind managed to flip the castle, but it is already clear that this is one of the biggest disasters to befall Australia’s amusement industry ever.
.