Two boys hospitalized, girl injured after bounce house takes flight with wind gust

This image taken from littletikes.com shows one of a dozen similar products to the 10 x 10 stucture from the same manufacter that flew into the air, injuring three children.

This Instagram photo captured by a witness shows the bounce house sent flying by a gust of wind, seriously injuring three children.

SOUTH GLENS FALLS >> Two young boys were hospitalized Monday with serious injuries after falling 15 to 20 feet from an inflatable “bounce house” that was lifted into the air by a strong gust of wind.

The boys, ages 5 and 6, were taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital, one of them suffering from a traumatic head injury, South Glens Falls Police officer David Gifford said.

A 10-year-old also sustained scrapes and bruises after falling from a much lower height.

Police declined to release the children’s identities and an update on their conditions isn’t known.

Witnesses told police that several adults were watching the children playing at a small apartment complex at 22 Ferry Blvd., when the bounce house suddenly took off at about 3:30 p.m. After the boys fell, it eventually went about 100 feet into the air, witnesses told police.

“Luckily, they were tossed before it reached that height,” Gifford said. “It was found hundreds of yards away. It came very close to power lines.”

The inflatable was a lightweight 8-foot-by-8-foot Little Tikes brand toy, not a commercial-size bounce house, and was recovered by police on fields behind Oliver W. Winch Middle School.

One of the boys fell onto a parked car after he was tossed from the inflatable, while the other landed on asphalt, police said. The one who landed on asphalt was conscious and talking at the scene, police said.

Moreau Emergency Squad and South Glens Falls Fire Department responded to the scene.

Gifford said the bounce house was set up as a back yard activity for kids, not a birthday party or other special event.

The structure was staked to the ground, Gifford said. Police said the incident is considered a tragic accident and no charges are pending.

The bounce house is manufactured by The Little Tikes Company, based in Hudson, Ohio, that makes a variety of children’s toys and products. The company was purchased by Van Nuys, Ca.-based MGA Entertainment in September 2006.

“Providing safe and wholesome play experiences is of utmost importance to Little Tikes,” spokesperson Jennifer Campana said. “We are looking into what happened in South Glen Falls yesterday. In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers are with the children and their families.”

Campana said the bouncer comes with four ground stakes each for both the inflatable structure and the blower that comes with it.

The company website says the toy has an enclosed bounce area that lets kids jump around “without worry of falling off.” Also, inflatable walls and mesh netting keep kids from bouncing out of the play area, the website says.

Joseph Roland, owner of Jumping Bean Party Rental in Wilton, said, “There are no (bounce house) regulations in New York state. There are best practices. The biggest thing is staking down the equipment. Most problems happen when they aren’t staked down or aren’t staked down correctly.”

He said larger bounces should always be staked down with stakes that are at least 18 inches long and that inflatables should never be used when winds exceed 20 mph.

“Take kids out and shut it down,” he said.

A complete instruction manual for The Little Tikes bouncer may be viewed online at www.litttikes.com.

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