Devonport, Tasmania: Death toll for bouncy castle disaster rises to six as boy, 11, dies
A sixth child has died after a jumping castle was blown 10 metres in the air by a freak gust of wind at an end-of-year celebration.
Tasmanian police commissioner Darren Hine confirmed 11-year-old Chace Harrison died in hospital at a press conference on Sunday afternoon.
Two children are in a critical condition at Royal Hobart Hospital, and one was released on Friday to recover at home.
The tragedy unfolded on Thursday morning at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, northern Tasmania, when the bouncing house was picked up by a ‘mini-tornado’.
On Friday, police released the names of the five other Year 5 and 6 students who lost their lives in the disaster – Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, all age 12, and Addison Stewart, 11.
Premier Peter Gutwein said Chace’s family are traumatised, but agreed to allow authorities to release his name.
Addison Stewart (pictured) was also one of the five students who was tragically killed when the jumping castle lifted 10 metres in the air
Pictured: Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, 12, who also died in the tragedy on Thursday morning
‘We have offices there with them and to make sure they can travel back to Devonport safely, so we have a support mechanism to help them deal with this unbelievable and traumatic situation,’ he said.
When asked how long the police investigation into the disaster will take, Mr Gutwein said: It is too early to say but there is a lot of pieces of the investigation that need to be pulled together.’
‘We don’t want to rush it but we also understand that the community wants answers.’
Mr Gutwein also explained there were more than 40 Year 5 and 6 children at the graduation celebration on Thursday morning.
‘We know it is difficult for those involved so we want to make sure we have the best services interview all those children who are affected,’ he said.
‘We have to do it in a sensitive manner, and we have accepted the offer of NSW Police to accept their assistance.’
‘We know it is difficult for those involved so we want to make sure we have the best services interview all those children who are affected.’
Pictured: Peter Dodt, 12, who tragically died at a jumping castle disaster on Thursday morning
Zane Mellor tragically died on Thursday morning in a jumping castle incident in Tasmania
Police announced on Friday afternoon that Jye Sheehan, 12, was also one of the victims
Mr Hine said forensic child interviewers travelled to Tasmania on Sunday to help conduct interviews with the young witnesses over the coming days.
‘It is paramount we don’t pre-empt any outcome until all evidence is gathered and the investigation is complete,’ he said.
The premier praised the Tasmanian community for rallying together to support the affected families.
Witnesses said distraught parents broke down in the gutter sobbing when they heard what happened to their children.
The Prime Minister was seen comforting his wife as she broke down while laying flowers outside the school on Saturday.
The bouquets were left with a handwritten note which read: ‘In loving memory of these beautiful children who are no longer with us.’
Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny have paid tribute to the children who were tragically killed in a freak jumping castle accident in Tasmania this week
‘Our hearts break for the families and the community left behind. Thinking of you all. With love and sympathy, Jen, Scott, Abbey and Lilly.’
Mr Morrison solemnly knelt for a minute of silence before reading some of the cards left by members of the community.
Photos have showed the shattered faces of family members, classmates and fellow community members unable to fathom how such a tragedy could have occurred.
The state’s education minister Sarah Courtney was visibly emotional as she delivered a bouquet of flowers to the memorial on Saturday.
Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein, Deputy Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Devonport Mayor Annette Rockliff have each dropped off flowers, while children have written heartfelt messages in crayon on the sidewalk.
Tasmanians flocked to Hillcrest Primary School on Thursday and Friday to pay their respect (pictured)
Hundreds of floral bouquets began line a hill in front of the school fence, along with soft toys and emotional written tributes.
The entire side of the footpath is now a shrine dedicated to remembering the students who were lost.
It comes after it was revealed the state’s education department has banned all state schools from using jumping castles while the investigation into the accident is ongoing.
Tasmania’s Education Department confirmed they have ‘put a hold on the use of jumping castle-style equipment until the results of the investigation are known’.
