Five children were hospitalized after powerful winds sent inflatable jumping castles airborne in two frightening incidents in Australia on the same day.
The separate accidents unfolded Saturday, Sept. 5, as parts of the country were battered by wind gusts exceeding 55 mph.
The first incident happened around 11 a.m. during a children’s birthday party at a home in Mount Duneed, south of Geelong in Victoria.
According to Victoria Police, several children were playing on a jumping castle when strong winds caused chaos.
“Two children were thrown from the jumping castle and taken to hospital by road,” a police spokesperson said.
A large number of other children who were playing on the inflatable at the time managed to escape without injuries.
Ambulance Victoria dispatched a mobile intensive care ambulance along with advanced life support paramedics to the home.
A boy and a girl were transported to Geelong University Hospital with upper-body injuries. Both were listed in stable condition.
Hours later, another terrifyingly similar incident unfolded hundreds of miles away in Banksia, New South Wales.
Strong winds reportedly lifted another jumping castle into the air, prompting emergency crews to rush to the scene.
NSW Ambulance official Emily Cottman said paramedics found five patients when they arrived, including three children.
Two 4-year-old children suffered minor head injuries, while an 18-month-old baby was also hurt.
All three children were treated at the scene before being transported to Sydney Children’s Hospital, where they remained in stable condition.
The incidents came as Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology warned residents about dangerous weather conditions, including wind gusts topping 55 mph.
Thunderstorms were also forecast in parts of Victoria.
Officials urged people caught outdoors to seek shelter inside and stay away from trees, drains, gutters, creeks and waterways.
The back-to-back incidents are the latest reminder of how quickly inflatable attractions can become dangerous when strong winds suddenly strike.
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Those things are large and light and blow away easily in unusual winds… even with a small kid inside… when windy, empty it and tie it to a tree… or put in garage…