Verdict Reached in Australian Bouncy Castle Accident
The families of six children killed in the Australian bouncy castle accident are mourning all over again after a Tasmanian court cleared the inflatable operator of wrongdoing. The tragic 2021 incident saw a bouncy castle lifted 10 metres into the air by a sudden wind event at a school in Devonport, Tasmania.
The court found Rosemary Anne Gamble, owner of the party rental company Taz-Zorb, not guilty of failing to ensure proper safety.
It ruled that an unpredictable dust devil caused the tragedy and said no additional precautions could have prevented it. The verdict has left many parents feeling shattered and unheard.
A Gust of Wind, a Heartbreaking Loss
The incident occurred on December 16, 2021, at Hillcrest Primary School. A sudden dust devil—a powerful vertical wind vortex—lifted the inflatable castle 10 metres into the air. The castle threw five children off. The equipment’s blower fatally struck a sixth child who was waiting nearby.
The victims, all 11 or 12 years old, were:
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- Addison Stewart
- Zane Mellor
- Jye Sheehan
- Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones
- Peter Dodt
- Chace Harrison
Court Finds Tragedy Was ‘Unforeseeable’
Magistrate Robert Webster acknowledged that Gamble could have taken more precautions, but emphasized that no additional safety measures would have changed the outcome.
“Given the effects of the unforeseen and unforeseeable dust devil… further steps would sadly have made no difference.”
Families Devastated by Verdict
The ruling devastated the victims’ families. Some parents cried out in court as the verdict was read.
Andrew Dodt, father of 12-year-old Peter Dodt, said:
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“All I wanted was an apology for my son not coming home… and I’m never going to get it.”
“I’ve been broken for a long time, and I think I’m going to be broken for a lot more.”
Gamble Responds: ‘I Am Just So Sorry’
In a statement read by her lawyer, Bethan Frake, Gamble expressed deep sorrow:
“I am a mother. I can only imagine the pain that other parents are living with each and every day.”
“Their loss is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”
She added that the scars from the tragedy would remain “likely forever.”
Community Still Grieving
The accident shook Devonport, a town of 30,000 people on Tasmania’s north coast. It happened on the last day of the school term—a day meant for joy before summer break.
Even years later, many locals continue to lay flowers and soft toys outside Hillcrest Primary School in memory of the children.
Do you think legal standards should change to hold event operators more accountable for rare disasters like this?
More…
- https://globalnews.ca/news/11216272/bouncy-castle-accident-killed-six-kids-australia
- https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/australia-bouncy-castle-accident-six-children-killed-operator-not-guilty-5168551
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gr5kn5d7go
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