Death by bouncy castle

[faceless]

NIGHTMARE ON DREAMSPACE: MUMS, DADS, KIDS PLUNGE TO EARTH

HORRIFIED witnesses told last night how they watched helplessly as parents and children plummeted to the ground after a huge bouncy castle was sent rocketing 120ft into the air.The 160ft square inflatable called Dreamspace soared over the tops of trees before somersaulting and crashing back to earth, killing two women and injuring at least a dozen others.

Dave Vogwill was enjoying an afternoon in the park with his wife and two children when Dreamspace broke its moorings. He said: "It didn't seem to be windy but suddenly it just flew up into the air then flipped over. It was horrific to see. There were people lying everywhere all over the place. It was carnage. Some had been on the inflatable when it took off, others were hit on the ground." Dave, 45, ran to help one young girl who he saw crash on to a tarmac path. He said: "She was in a very bad way. There wasn't a lot I could do. She was a very young girl who just fell out of the air and hit the tarmac with a thud and then bounced on to the grass."

Others told how they tried in vain to hold the inflatable down as it began to lift off the ground. Richard Gordon, 22, said: "I was standing just a few feet away when I heard a snapping sound as the holding pegs were ripped out of the ground. I could hear people inside screaming as it flipped on to its side, flew into the air and started gaining speed. At least three industrial-type hot air blowers were pumping air into it when it took off but I think a gust of wind must have got under it. There were at least 25 people, adults and children, inside as it took off."

Mr Gordon said he and about 40 other men attempted to keep Dreamspace on the floor at the Riverside Park in Chester-le-Street, Co Durham. He added: "We tried to hold on to it. But it was going with such force it just dragged us along. We couldn't stop it. It smashed into a pole in the middle of the park, then broke loose and hit the ground. I could see people were trapped inside. Loads of people ran towards it and tried to get the trapped out by ripping the material open. They were using car keys and even their bare hands."

Claire Fairnington, 22, said: "I heard the screaming and realised something really bad was happening. It was a terrible sight. You could hear the people screaming as it was in the air. The screams went on for about 15 minutes after it crashed back to the ground. I saw someone drag a man in his 30s out. He must have been knocked unconscious because he was just coming round."

Last night it was reported that two women, one 68, the other 38, had died in the accident. Both had been on the inflatable with children. A girl of three, who was airlifted from the park to hospital, and a 23-year-old woman were in intensive care with serious injuries. Six ambulances took the other injured to hospital. It is believed they included a 35-year-old man who suffered a suspected heart attack.

Riverside Park had been packed yesterday by families out enjoying the sunshine. The paddling pool and children's playground was filled with youngsters. Many of the estimated 500 visitors had come especially to see Dreamspace, a 15ft high multi-coloured interactive artwork which has a series of interconnecting rooms that visitors can explore. Built by Danish artist Maurice Agis and funded by the Arts Council, the PVC inflatable arrived at the park last week from Liverpool. It was also due to visit London.

Firemen say the inflatable would have flown even further had it not snagged on a pole that holds a CCTV camera and come to rest close to the River Wear. Fire brigade spokesman John Robson said: "When we arrived it was chaos. There were parents looking for children, children looking for parents. We had to extricate a number of people from the structure. A number of people had fallen on top of each other. It all seems to have happened in seconds. It went vertically up and then the wind caught it and it bounced over the top of some trees and towards the children's playground, which is by the river. Thankfully it landed a few metres away from the playground or things could have been much worse. It's a huge structure and it must have travelled at least 50 metres before landing."

The remains of the giant inflatable were last night strewn across the park. The red, yellow, and blue polythene was shredded and scattered over a wide area. A large section was cordoned off as police examined the scene. The park was closed to the public. One woman standing outside said her 23-year-old daughter was among those injured and had suffered a punctured lung, broken ribs and internal bleeding

Fighting back tears, she said: "She's in intensive care on a ventilator. I'm dashing to the hospital. It was just a day out enjoying the weather and it's gone so badly wrong."

To watch a video clip of this, click HERE

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Pretty shocking for sure ...

[Gasman59]

You best me to the punch Face !!! Here's the story I got....

Two killed in Britain as inflatable art takes off
Mon Jul 24, 8:37 AM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - Two women died and 13 people were injured when they fell from a huge inflatable sculpture after it broke its moorings and flew into the air in a park in northeastern England, police said Monday.

Up to 30 people were inside the walk-in exhibit, which has been shown around the world, when a gust of wind blew it 9 metres above the park in Chester-le-Street Sunday.

"All of a sudden it just started rising like a balloon," witness Mark Spooner told BBC television. "(It was) flinging people all over. Then it just seemed to flip over in the air."

The victims, aged 68 and 38, had been walking through the artwork with children when it took off. A three-year-old girl was seriously injured in the freak accident.

"(The) inflatable exhibition broke its moorings and tipped those using it on to the ground," police said in a statement.

Designed by artist Maurice Agis, the exhibit, called Dreamspace, is 5 metres high and made out of plastic sheeting. Half the size of a soccer pitch, it has walls that change color as visitors wander through its maze of corridors.

It was brought to earth after it drifted into a pole.

[eefanincan]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006340231,00.html

Agony of our little Rosie
By ROBIN PERRIE

HORRIFIED Lee Wright told last night of his daughter Rosie?s agonising injuries in the runaway inflatable tragedy.


Three-year-old Rosie fell from the huge blow-up artwork as it took off and careered across a park, killing two.

The toddler has multiple fractures. Lee said: ?She?s only little. It?s terrible to see her injuries.?

Police believe yobs may have cut ropes holding down the giant Dreamspace installation in Chester-le-Street, Co Durham.

The two people killed were Anne Collings, 68, of Seaham, Co Durham, and Claire Furmedge, 38, of Chester-le-Street.

Both were mothers of two.

Around 14 people were injured on Sunday when a fun day out turned to terror.

The 150ft-wide inflatable, packed with 30 adults and children, broke free and the wind blew it 50ft into the air on its side.

A witness said: ?It was like people being thrown around in a huge washing machine.?

Chloe Wilson, seven, said: ?It floated up high and people were getting hurt. I saw a lady who looked dead.?



Fears ... Mr Watson



People fled as the huge structure flew overhead and hit a CCTV pole. John Tubbrit, 26, said: ?It went vertical. There was screaming. I saw people inside, just tumbling down.?

Chris Gillett, 20, said: ?I saw one woman fall from it from about 30ft up and land on a concrete path.

?It landed on top of people. Others were cutting into it with whatever they could lay their hands on.?

Phil Quinlivan, 15, added: ?I could hear people inside crying for help as it flew past.?

Dreamspace was on a three-venue tour. In Liverpool, yobs had deflated it with knives.

Chief Supt Trevor Watson said he could not rule out vandalism. He added: ?There were no strong winds, just a light breeze.?

Dreamspace?s creator, artist Maurice Agis, 74, was on the inflatable when it took off. He was devastated last night.

[Ally]

This is such a tragic story. At first it sounds like some sort of joke but the fact people could be killed on something that should of been a fun and enjoyable experience is just horrible.

Clearly the safety of this object wasn't properly tested for the site or for the weather conditions before opening it to the public. That's crimminal.

[eefanincan]

[Ally]