The death toll of a jumping castle tragedy in Tasmania’s north has climbed to six, after police confirmed another child had succumbed to their injuries at Royal Hobart Hospital on Sunday.
Police commissioner Darren Hine confirmed that 11-year-old Chace Harrison was the sixth fatality after dying in hospital on Sunday afternoon.
Nine primary school children were seriously injured when a strong gust of wind lifted the jumping castle and ‘zorb’ balls they were playing in 10 metres into the air during an end-of-year party at Devonport’s Hillcrest Primary School.
The children were given first aid and rushed to hospital, but six could not be saved. Two remain in critical condition in intensive care and one has since been discharged and is recovering at home.
With the permission of the families, police on Friday named the five other children who died in the incident as Addison Stewart, 11, Zane Mellor, 12, Jye Sheehan, 12, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, 12 and Peter Dodt, 12.
The Age understands the parents of one of the children in hospital were comforted by a local priest after being approached by doctors about turning off their child’s life support at the weekend. It is unclear whether it is the same child.
Heavy rain and winter-like temperatures did not dissuade Devonport locals from visiting the makeshift roadside memorial outside of Hillcrest Primary School in honour of the tragedy’s victims for the fourth day in a row on Sunday.
The children who died in the Devonport primary school tragedy: Peter Dodt, Addison Stewart, Zane Mellor, Jye Sheehan, and Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones. Credit:
However, the usual steady stream of mourners over the past two days has slowed to a trickle, with parents and children zipping up their jackets and huddling under umbrellas as they placed fresh flowers on the lawn.
Devonport jumping castle tragedy claims sixth life
Source: Philippines Alive
