A strong gust of wind ruined a party in a Mesa, Ariz., park on Thursday afternoon, when it lifted up a bouncy castle along with several children who were playing inside.
The castle flew several feet and then collapsed, leaving four children with moderate to severe injuries, according to Mesa first responders.
The victims were between the ages of five and 11, local broadcaster KPHO reports. They were taken to hospital after the incident.
It’s unclear how many other children were inside the structure at the time of the accident.
Winds reached a speed of 35 kilometres per hour (22 miles per hour) on Thursday, according to local weather records.
Two deflated bouncy structures were still at the park on Thursday evening.
It was the second time in less than a week that children were injured in a bouncy structure in Arizona.
Last Sunday, a dust devil uprooted an inflatable structure in Paulden, Ariz., and lifted it approximately 7.6 metres (25 feet) into the air. The structure had been secured with sandbags and stakes, but local authorities said the wind ripped the castle free of its moorings.
The dust devil “launched” the bouncy castle onto a neighbouring property and dropped it 23 metres (75 feet) away from its original location, officials said.
A six-year-old child suffered a broken leg from the incident, while a girl, 7, sustained hand, back, neck and face injuries, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office. Both girls were airlifted to hospital for intensive care.
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