Four children in Arizona hospitalised after high winds cause bouncy castle to take off
Incident is second of its kind in a week in Arizona
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Your support makes all the difference.Four children were hospitalised and severely injured after high winds in Arizona caused a bouncy castle to take off.
Officers from Mesa Fire and Medical Department were dispatched to a park in the city on Thursday following reports of a bouncy castle thrown in the air.
The fire department confirmed to FoxNews10 Phoenix that four children aged between 5 and 11 years old were injured in the incident.
Witnesses reported seeing the bouncy castle being thrown several feet in the air, with children inside of it.
It was unknown if their injuries were life-threatening, the fire department spokesperson told FoxNews 10.
It follows deputies from the Yavapi County Sheriff’s Office being called to an address in Paulden, about 50 miles southwest of Flagstaff, on Sunday to reports of another bouncy castle thrown in the air.
Two children suffered neck and back injuries, the sheriff’s office said. Both were in recovery at Phoenix Children's Hospital.
On Facebook, the sheriff’s office wrote that although the bouncy castle “was secured with stakes and sandbags, a dust devil was still able to pick it up and carry it about 25 feet in the air”.
The bouncy castle was thrown “over a fence and onto a neighbouring property”, and “continued to tumble before coming to rest 75-yards from where it was originally set up”, the sheriff’s office added.
It also asked for prayers and thoughts for the children who were severely injured.
“My gosh, it's just something no one would ever expect! Prayers for the girls & their family,” wrote a Facebook user in response. They were among almost 1,000 people who commented on the sheriff’s office post, offering sympathy.
“Hoping they both make a full & speedy recovery,” wrote another Facebook user, “what a frightening experience for them & their parents!”
Winds in Arizona reached 22mph on Thursday afternoon, with gusts of 30mph, according to the National Weather Service’s outpost in Phoenix.
The Independent has approached the Mesa Fire and Medical Department for comment.
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