Teacher Who Witnessed Six Children Die in Jumping Castle Horror Reveals Why He Could Never Return to the Classroom

A former primary school teacher who witnessed six children being killed when a jumping castle was lifted into the air by a freak gust of wind has described the devastating psychological impact of the tragedy, telling an inquest he was never able to return to teaching.

Stephen Fenn was supervising pupils at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania, on December 16, 2021, when the inflatable attraction suddenly became airborne during an end-of-year celebration.

Six children — Addison Stewart, Chace Harrison, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Peter Dodt and Zane Mellor — lost their lives. Three other pupils were seriously injured.

Giving evidence at the ongoing coronial inquest on November 3, Fenn recalled seeing a sudden swirling wind, known as a dust devil, approach the school oval.

He described the weather event as something he had never witnessed before. Dust and grass were thrown into the air, making it difficult to see what was happening.

Fenn said he heard a loud whooshing sound before someone asked where the jumping castle had gone. When they looked towards the inflatable, it had disappeared from view.

The teacher immediately tried to help the injured children. He recalled going to assist Jye before attempting to help resuscitate Jalailah.

He also described the heartbreaking moment he was asked by police to help identify the victims at a nearby hospital. When shown the body of Addison Stewart, he became overwhelmed with emotion.

The impact of the incident continued long after that terrible day. Fenn told the court he could not return to the classroom the following year because he felt unable to give his students the same care and attention as before.

The experience ultimately forced him to retire three years earlier than planned.

He said the tragedy had changed his personality, relationships and outlook on life. He also admitted that he had become particularly fearful of sudden wind events and was constantly looking for potential dangers.

The inquest is examining how the inflatable equipment was installed and operated, the relevant safety standards and the circumstances surrounding the sudden wind event.

The court is also expected to hear evidence from jumping castle operator Rosemary Gamble about the equipment’s setup and the instructions she used.

A specialist in dust devils from the United States is being considered to provide expert evidence about the unusual wind phenomenon and how it may have interacted with the inflatable structure.

The tragedy occurred nearly five years ago, but its consequences continue to affect the families, survivors, school staff and emergency workers who were involved.

The ongoing inquest aims to establish how the six children died and whether changes to safety standards or procedures could help prevent another disaster.