Jumping Castle Tragedy: Manufacturer to Testify in Court

Worksafe Tasmania officers (left) inspect the jumping castle at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania, Australia, on Dec. 16, 2021. AAP Image/Grant Wells

The manufacturer of a jumping castle involved in a tragic incident that killed six children at Hillcrest Primary School in Tasmania will provide testimony at a criminal court hearing.

In December 2021, students Chace Harrison, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Zane Mellor, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan, and Peter Dodt were celebrating the end of the school year when a sudden, powerful wind gust—described by witnesses as a “mini-tornado”—lifted the jumping castle and several Zorb balls into the air.

This incident led to fatalities and serious injuries as the children fell from a significant height, with one struck by an electrical blower.

Allegations Against Equipment Provider

Rosemary Gamble, the owner of Taz-Zorb, the company that provided and set up the inflatable castle, faces allegations of failing to comply with health and safety duties.

Prosecutor Madeleine Wilson alleges that Gamble did not properly secure the jumping castle, anchoring it at only four of the required eight points, with smaller-than-mandated pegs.

She added that the anchor pegs used were 10mm in diameter instead of the 16mm required by Australian safety standards.

Furthermore, Gamble allegedly did not adhere to manufacturer guidelines and did not provide sufficient safety training to her staff.

Manufacturer’s Role and Document Discrepancies

On the second day of the hearing, a representative of the China-based manufacturer is expected to give evidence via an interpreter.

Gamble’s lawyer, Chris Dockray, argued that Taz-Zorb received written confirmation from the manufacturer stating the castle met Australian safety standards.

However, Dockray noted that Gamble only had access to a brief, one-and-a-half-page operational guide, downloaded from the manufacturer’s website.

He claimed this document was insufficient and misleading; it was later replaced with a more comprehensive 13-page manual after the accident.

Dockray suggested that even with proper tethering, the unusual and severe nature of the wind event would have overwhelmed safety measures, resulting in the same tragic outcome.

Several witness testimonies described a “mini-tornado” lifting the castle high into the air, and one witness reported seeing the castle thrown up to 75 metres from its original position.

Community and Parental Reactions

The court appearance has sparked strong emotions, particularly from the victims’ families.

Georgie Burt, the mother of Zane, sat near Gamble in the courtroom and expressed frustration at the alleged safety lapses.

The incident deeply impacted the local community, and the hearing has become a focal point for examining accountability in workplace and event safety standards.

The hearing is scheduled to conclude on Nov. 15, with significant public attention on both the court’s findings and the manufacturer’s testimony.

AAP has contributed to this article.