Police have declined to say whether a jumping castle was previously tied up The ‘mini-tornado’ blew it 10 meters into the air, killing five children and three fighting for life in the hospital.
The disaster unfolds at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Northern Tasmania, Thursday at around 10 am.
Four children were in critical condition at the Royal Hobart Hospital on Thursday evening, but Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine announced Friday morning that one had been released.
“Nine children were seriously injured,” he told reporters at a news conference.
‘Sadly, five of these children have died, three boys and two girls. One was 11 years old, four were 12 years old.
Three remain in critical condition at the Royal Hobart Hospital. One is now recovering from home.
Six-year-old student Addison Stewart and her classmate Jane were the first victims to be identified.
When reporters repeatedly asked whether the bounce house was tied to the ground before the tragedy, the police refused to answer questions.
Jane Gardum has been identified as one of the victims of the Devonport Jumping Castle tragedy
‘Were the jumping castles tied at all?’ A journalist asked.
‘She becomes part of investigation,’ Mr. Hine said.
‘It would be fair to say that those who were injured were inside the palace. We need to piece together the activities of individuals so that we can present a complete picture to the coroner.
Mr. Hine also said that at the end of that time period, about 40 years old 5 and 6 students were participating in the activities.
“Several adults were also present when the aerial equipment was raised into the air and given first aid until emergency services arrived,” he said.
Disturbing accounts came from eyewitnesses at the scene, who saw the crying parents enter the drain.
The flag was flown at half-mast in Devonport Council Chambers on Friday morning to honor the young victims.
Addison Stewart (pictured) was also one of five students who were tragically killed when they jumped 10 meters into the air from the palace.
Tasmania police said children fell from a height of about 10 meters after lifting several inflatable zorb balls into the castle and into the air
Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwin described the tragedy as “incomprehensible”.
‘It’s devastating, it’s heartbreaking. It’s simply incomprehensible. What should have been a celebration for the end of the school year has turned into an unfortunate tragedy for our young children at Hillcrest Primary.
‘As a parent, I can’t understand how parents of people who have lost children must be feeling.
‘But as a parent, I hope they can understand that we all feel for you too.’
Tributes have started pouring in online for the beloved students, remembered as a ‘handsome, caring boy’ and a ‘precious’ girl with a ‘lovely, kind, old soul’.
Zain’s aunt posted an emotional tribute to her nephew on Friday morning.
He shared on Facebook, ‘My heart is so heavy and broken, how do I write this.
‘I never thought I’d have to say goodbye to my boys. Yesterday we lost the most beautiful soul my sisters first child, my first nephew, our heart and our soul.
‘Thank you for the love and support we all have received. Rest easy our handsome boys, I will live my life everyday for you.’
Two police officers console each other at Hillcrest Primary School in Tasmania after four children were killed after a jumping castle was blown ten meters into the air
A GoFundMe page has been launched to help the bereaved family financially during this devastating time.
The fundraiser reads, ‘Zane was such a beautiful caring, gentle soul who overcame challenges with his autism and ADHD, but it never left him behind, he kept on achieving.
‘It shook so many people and the community and we want to do anything to help make things a little easier [his mum] In this difficult time.’
Addison’s aunt has even launched a GoFundMe to help her parents as they ‘navigate life without their precious daughter’.
He wrote, ‘My niece was badly injured in the accident at Hillcrest Primary.’
‘I’m hoping to raise some money for my brother and sister-in-law to help pay for funeral costs and pay some bills for them while they try to live life without their precious daughter. are doing. are doing. We do.
‘I don’t even know what to write at this stage. Everyone is devastated, she was always such a lovely kind, old soul.
‘We all love you Paddy Mellon.’
Flowers and teddy bears have been piled around the school’s sign board to pay tribute to the victims.
The school is in Devonport, northern Tasmania (pictured). Hillcrest Primary School posts an online ad for its ‘Big Day In’ celebration for parents ahead of the accident
Distraught police officers were seen comforting each other at the crash site, while desperate parents tried to find out whether their children were dead or alive.
Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said on Thursday that an investigation would take “some time” as many witnesses needed to be interviewed.
“We will supply a report to the coroner together with WorkSafe Tasmania,” Commissioner Heine told reporters on Thursday afternoon.
‘It will take some time to complete and once it is completed it will be handed over to the coroner for examination’.
Tasmania’s Department of Education will provide support to children, families and staff during the coming days and school holidays, as well as provide counseling to first responders.
The community has placed bouquets of flowers at the base of the fence to mourn the tragedy
A gust of wind blew the palace into the air, killing five children and injuring many others.
“Our approach is being guided by our senior psychologists who are trained in trauma-informed practice,” said Secretary Tim Bullard.
Local resident Connor told Daily Mail Australia that his colleague lived across the street from the primary school and fled after hearing the sirens.
“He first thought there was a shooting,” she said.
’ She described the scene as terrifying and conflicting, with children everywhere on the ground.
,[But] What got him the most was the parents sitting in the drain, crying on the side of the road with their hands on their heads.
‘The community is just devastated.’
Two rescue helicopters and several ambulances were dispatched to the scene on Thursday (pictured)
Bob Smith, who lives near the school, said he saw children on the ground.
He said, ‘On a beautiful calm day there was a very strong gust of wind.’
‘At first we thought it might be an emergency services training exercise, then the reality of what was happening came to the fore.’
Within an hour of the tragedy, dozens of frantic parents arrived at the school and were forced to wait at the entrance, not knowing whether their children were dead or alive, with one claiming they were left in the dark. Was. Was. Was.
He wrote, ‘Here I am, now they won’t let us in, it was (child’s name) grade but as of now no one knows who got hurt.’
Another said, “I have a friend over there and he has kids and he hasn’t heard anything yet.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the accident as ‘unimaginably heartbreaking’.
‘Little kids go out with their families on a fun day and it turns into such a horrific tragedy. This time of year, it breaks your heart,’ he said during a visit to the NSW Central Coast.
‘It just breaks your heart.’