Hillcrest jumping castle tragedy led to hospital changes, inquest told
The way a hospital identifies its patients in real time has changed, in the wake of the deaths of six children during a freak jumping castle incident in Tasmania in 2021, an inquest hears.
On December 16, 2021, six children tragically died after a jumping castle at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania, suddenly became airborne during an end-of-year event. This incident marked the most serious mass casualty event in north-west Tasmania in two decades, leading to significant changes in hospital protocols, as testified at a coronial inquest.
The tragedy, involving Addison Stewart, Chace Harrison, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Peter Dodt, and Zane Mellor, required an emergency response at a level not previously seen at a northwest Tasmanian hospital in nearly two decades. The children, aged 10 to 11, were in grades 5 or 6 at the time of the accident. The jumping castle was tossed across the school oval by a strong wind, causing the children to suffer severe injuries or death.
Three of the children were seriously injured, while the other three died at the scene or shortly after arrival at the hospital. The first victim arrived at the Mersey Community Hospital (MCH) at 10:45 am, with two pronounced dead upon arrival. Their bodies were unidentified, and the lack of identification made it difficult for families to receive updates on their children's conditions.
An identification protocol was subsequently developed, incorporating digital health records and real-time location tracking, but it had not been utilized in a similar situation since the Hillcrest tragedy. The inquest is expected to continue for four days this week, with further hearings planned for November and February.
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