Listen to this article
Estimated 3 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
A three-year-old girl has died of her injuries after she was blown away in a bouncy castle in Montreal’s LaSalle borough on Sunday afternoon.
A spokesperson for Quebec’s coroner’s office confirmed the child had died in a statement Tuesday.
“We would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family and all those affected,” wrote spokesperson Jake Lamotta Granato.
The girl was identified as Ava Ciampini by her father, Luca Ciampini, who declined further comment to CBC News.
In total, 11 people — seven adults and four children — were injured during the incident, according to an Urgences-santé spokesperson. Of those, six were transported to hospital Sunday.
The incident happened around 4:30 p.m. in Ouellette Park, where the Madre Dei Cristiani Church was holding a community party.
Gusts of wind of 50 km/h were reported around that time by Environment Canada.
The bouncy castle was reportedly picked up and thrown several metres away by the wind.
Condolences, police investigation
The borough mayor of LaSalle, Nancy Blanchet, said Monday she is looking into the incident and extended support to the affected families.
“Our entire community is deeply shaken by this serious accident,” she wrote in a statement.
On Tuesday, both the mayor of Montreal and Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette extended their condolences to the toddler’s family and loved ones.
“No parent should ever have to endure the loss of a child,” Fréchette wrote in a social media post, expressing her profound sadness.
“My thoughts also go out to the LaSalle community, Mayor Nancy Blanchet, the first responders, as well as the entire medical staff who were called upon to intervene.”
Coroner Martine Lachance has been appointed to investigate the causes and circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
Following the investigation, the coroner may issue recommendations aimed at preventing future deaths in similar conditions.
Montreal police confirmed on Tuesday they have also launched their own investigation and will review if safety measures were properly followed.
Injuries linked to inflatable structures
Health Canada advises operators of inflatable structures to securely anchor them to the ground to prevent them from moving, tipping over or lifting into the air.
A 2013 study published by the Public Health Agency of Canada identified 674 injuries associated with inflatable attractions reported through the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program between 1990 and 2009.
Children between the ages of two and nine accounted for the largest share of injuries, while fractures represented more than one-third of reported cases.
Another study by researchers at Toronto Metropolitan University found inflatable structures were responsible for 42 per cent of amusement-ride injuries recorded in a U.S. injury surveillance database in 2010 — a higher proportion than any category of mechanical ride.
The study’s lead author, Kathryn Woodcock, echoed Health Canada’s recommendations for operators, adding that inflatable structures should not be used when weather conditions, including high winds, exceed manufacturers’ safety guidelines.
Read the full article here