A bouncy castle could only be secured to four of its eight anchor points when it flew into the air during a school's end-of-year celebrations, killing six children, court documents allege.
Chace Harrison, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Zane Mellor, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan and Peter Dodt died following the incident at Hillcrest Primary School in Tasmania on December 16, 2021.
In November, Taz-Zorb, the bouncy castle operator, was charged with a category two offense under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012.
It is alleged that Taz-Zorb failed to comply with a health and safety duty in a way that exposed the children to a risk of death or serious injury.
A document filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions claims the bouncy castle was only anchored at half of its anchor points. ABC reported.
Hillcrest Primary School pupils Zane Mellor, 12, Peter Dodt, Addison Stewart, Chace Harrison, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones and Jye Sheehan (pictured clockwise from top left) died in the bouncy castle tragedy
The pegs were also reportedly not secured at a 45 degree angle and were not the pegs recommended by the manufacturer to hold the bouncy castle.
Manufacturer's instructions required all eight anchor points to secure the bouncy castle, and that all pegs were available on the day of the tragedy, the DPP claims.
“The defendant failed to ensure that the anchorage system was sufficient to prevent lifting of the inflatable device,” the document said.
The case will return to the Devonport Magistrates Court in February.
Three other students were also seriously injured in the tragedy that rocked the country.
Flowers and messages of support were left at the market square in Tasmania on the first anniversary of the tragedy
Students were celebrating their graduation when the bouncy castle was suddenly swept upward, with the children still bouncing on it.
Australians have raised $1.4 million for the victims' families, although this was not released until March 2022.
As a result of the tragedy, several organizations have banned the use of all inflatables on their properties, including the Tasmanian Department of Education.