Sixth child dies from Australian bouncy castle tragedy
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
Flowers and other gifts left as tribute outside Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania, following the death of several pupils in a bouncy castle accident.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
MELBOURNE (REUTERS) - An 11-year-old boy died on Sunday (Dec 19) from a bouncy castle accident four days ago in Australia's island state of Tasmania, taking the death toll from the tragedy to six children, police said.
The children fell 10m to the ground after an inflated bouncy castle was lifted into the air by a gust of wind at an end-of-year celebration at a primary school in Devonport in the north-west of the state on Thursday.
"We all feel this terrible loss," Tasmania Premier Peter Gutwein said at a media conference.
Three boys and one girl aged 12, and one boy and one girl aged 11 have now lost their lives. Two children remain in critical condition, the police said, and one child is recovering at home.
Police said it was too early to say when they would complete an investigation into the cause of the accident and need to respect grieving families and the school community.
"We don't want to rush it, but we also understand that the community wants answers," Tasmania Police Commissioner Darren Hine told reporters.
The state has called in help from New South Wales state police to help interview the other grade five and six children who were at the event.
An online fund-raiser to support the victims' families has raised nearly A$1.3 million (S$1.27 million) over the past three days from people all over the country and abroad.
