Two children die in freak bouncy castle accident, three injured
Two children have died in a tragic bouncy castle accident in Tartu County. Three more were taken to hospital with serious injuries but their lives are not in danger, doctors said.
The children fell to their deaths when an inflatable bouncy castle was blown away by a gust of wind in Tõrvandi.
It is believed that the accident happened during a birthday party; the bouncy castle was blown into the air and quickly gained altitude, landing on a nearby field.
A boy (b. 2007) and a girl (b. 2009), who fell several dozen meters to the ground, died despite prolonged efforts to save them. Three other children were taken to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, ETV's news program reported.
District prosecutor Raul Heido told ERR that the bouncy castle was probably not properly attached to the ground. An investigation has been launched to determine the details of the accident and its causes.
Jaanus Laane, head of councy castle renter Batuudijuss, said that it does not take much to lift an unattached bouncy castle into the air. " A small gust of wind is enough, hence the need to use piles to attach the castle to the ground and in case of a larger castle, also ropes to tie it to trees, for example."
Delfi reports that the bouncy castle was set up by the employees of Tartu-based company Airfun, from where it was rented, but they were not present when the inflatable took flight.
Editor: M. Oll