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Jumping castle operator charged over 2021 Hillcrest tragedy that resulted in dea
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Jumping castle operator charged over 2021 Hillcrest tragedy that resulted in deaths of six Tasmanian children
Tasmanian company has been charged in relation to the Hillcrest jumping castle tragedy two years ago.
Six children at the Hillcrest primary school died — Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan, and Chace Harrison — and three were seriously injured after a jumping castle lifted into the air during an end-of-year event.
As the students were playing on the jumping castle and inflatable balls, a gust of wind picked up the inflatables, throwing them up in the air and causing children to fall from the height of about 10 metres, according to eyewitness accounts.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has on Friday filed a complaint in the Devonport Magistrates Court in relation to the incident on December 16, 2021.
“The DPP has charged Taz-Zorb, the operator of the jumping castle, with a Category 2 offence under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012,” work health and safety regulator Robyn Pearce said in a statement.
“This offence alleges that the operator failed to comply with a health and safety duty in a way that exposed the children to a risk of death or serious injury.”
The decision to lay charges came after a “significant investigation” by staff at WorkSafe Tasmania over many months, she said.
“A large number of documents have been prepared and considered by the investigators and the DPP in order to reach this decision.”
Ms Pearce said throughout the past year, she had continued to meet with the families of children who had died or been injured in the incident.
“[I] would again like to express my condolences to each of them,” she said.
“As the matter is now before the court, no further information or comment can be provided.”
It is not yet known when the matter will be heard in court.
The maximum penalty for a category 2 offence under the Work Health and Safety Act is a $1.5 million fine for a corporation, and a $150,000 fine for an individual.
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