A teacher described the "terrifying seconds" before a jumping castle tragedy killed six children in Tasmania, Australia, as an inquest heard that only four of the inflatable's eight tether points were secured. The incident occurred in December 2021 during end-of-year celebrations at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport.
A sudden whirlwind, or dust devil, picked up the jumping castle and other inflatable objects, sending the castle high into the air before it fell, killing the six students aged 11 and 12. The inquest is examining the causes of death, safety protocols, and national standards related to inflatable structures.
Stephen Fenn, a retired teacher who was supervising near the jumping castle, testified that the wind rapidly escalated. "It went from one to 1000 in a split second," Fenn said. "To me it felt an awful lot more than 100km/h." He heard a "whoosh" sound before seeing the jumping castle fall on the other side of the oval, having been lifted to the height of a telephone pole.
The inquest also heard from Jesse Barrett, an employee of the company that set up the equipment, Taz-Zorb. Barrett stated he had never been shown an instruction manual for the jumping castle, though he was aware of sewn-on instructions. He confirmed that only four of the castle's eight tether points were pegged down, adding that the number of pegs used could vary based on ground conditions and wind.
Taz-Zorb operator Rosemary Gamble is expected to testify that she did not receive a manual from the Chinese supplier but downloaded one from its website. Gamble was previously found not guilty of criminal workplace safety breaches related to the incident.
Counsel assisting the coroner noted that the jumping castle did not meet the threshold for registration with WorkSafe Tasmania and that national standards lacked enforcement power. The tragedy has had a profound impact, forcing Fenn into early retirement due to mental health effects.
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