In December 2021, a tragic incident at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania, resulted in the deaths of six children—Chace Harrison, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Zane Mellor, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan, and Peter Dodt—during end-of-year celebrations. While enjoying activities on the school oval, a sudden gust of wind caused a jumping castle to be lifted into the air, leading to the fatalities and seriously injuring three other students.
Rosemary Gamble, the owner of Taz-Zorb, the company responsible for setting up the inflatable equipment, faced legal action for failing to meet workplace safety obligations. However, she pleaded not guilty and was subsequently acquitted by Magistrate Robert Webster, who stated that the charge was not proven and dismissed the case in a Devonport Magistrates Court ruling.
During a 10-day hearing, it was revealed that Gamble had only secured the castle with pegs at four of its eight anchor points, despite instructions from the manufacturer recommending the use of all eight. Gamble’s lawyer argued that she had been misled by the Chinese manufacturer, which supplied only four pegs and did not provide clear installation instructions. Instead, Gamble consulted a two-page manual from the manufacturer’s website, which led to her misunderstanding of the necessary securing requirements.
At the time of the accident, seven students were on the inflatable when a significant weather event dislodged it, causing the children to fall. In addition, a blower used for inflation struck another nearby student during the chaos. Preparations for an inquest into the incident have been put on hold pending the legal proceedings, while a class action lawsuit has been initiated against Gamble and the Tasmanian state government.
The incident has deeply affected the Devonport community, highlighting the importance of safety measures during children’s activities and the need for stringent compliance with safety regulations.