A tragic incident occurred at a party in a Montreal park where a three-year-old girl lost her life when the bouncy castle she was playing on was lifted into the air by strong winds. The incident also left eleven individuals injured, with six of them receiving medical attention at a local hospital. The unfortunate event took place at Parc Ouellet in LaSalle, southwest Montreal, Canada, on May 31, as wind speeds reached up to 31mph (50kph).
The party was organized by a church, and the bouncy castle rental company owner, Cathy Denis, mentioned that she avoids setting up inflatable structures when wind speeds are forecasted to exceed 24 mph (38 kmph). Denis explained that due to the large surface area of inflatables, sudden gusts can displace them, even if properly secured, making them susceptible to strong winds.
This tragic incident is not an isolated case. In a similar event in 2022, an eight-year-old girl lost her life in Spain after a bouncy castle was lifted by high winds, causing injuries to eight other children. Additionally, in 2021 in Australia, six children died and three were seriously injured when a gust of wind lifted a jumping castle 10 meters into the air at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania.
In a separate incident in 2017 in Spain, a six-year-old girl died, and six others were injured when a bouncy castle became unanchored and flew into the air, throwing the children to the ground. Authorities investigated whether the accident resulted from anchoring failures or equipment malfunction.
An investigation into the circumstances of the recent tragedy has been initiated by Coroner Martine Lachance. Health Canada recommends securely anchoring inflatable structures to prevent movement or lifting in windy conditions. Similarly, the UK’s Health and Safety Executive advises against operating inflatables in winds exceeding 24mph (38kph) and suggests monitoring wind speeds using an anemometer during outdoor operations.
A study by the Public Health Agency of Canada in 2013 highlighted 674 inflatable attraction-related injuries reported between 1990 and 2009, with children aged two to nine being the most affected group, and fractures constituting over a third of the reported cases.