A tragic incident occurred at a Montreal park where a three-year-old girl lost her life when the bouncy castle she was playing on was lifted into the air by strong winds. The incident also left eleven people injured, with six of them requiring hospital treatment after the bouncy castle and a tent were caught in the gust of wind at Parc Ouellet in LaSalle, southwest Montreal, Canada, on May 31.

The unfortunate event took place during a party organized by a church in the park, as wind speeds reached up to 31mph (50kph) on that Sunday afternoon. Cathy Denis, the owner of a bouncy castle rental company in Quebec, mentioned that she avoids setting up or operating inflatables when wind speeds are forecasted to exceed 24 mph (38 kmph). She explained that due to their large surface area, inflatables are susceptible to being moved by sudden gusts even when properly secured.

This incident is not isolated, as similar tragedies have been recorded in the past. In 2022, an eight-year-old girl lost her life and eight other children were injured when a bouncy castle was lifted by strong winds during a fair in Mislata, Spain. In 2021, six children died and three were seriously injured in Australia after a wind gust lifted a jumping castle about 10 meters into the air during a school celebration.

Authorities are now investigating the circumstances of the recent incident, with Health Canada advising operators to securely anchor inflatable structures to prevent accidents. In the UK, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends not using inflatables in winds exceeding 24mph. A study by the Public Health Agency of Canada also highlighted the risks associated with inflatable attractions, reporting 674 injuries between 1990 and 2009, with children aged two to nine being the most affected.