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Boy goes for wild ride on runaway inflatable

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An inflatable obstacle course ride got loose with an 11-year-old boy holding on just after 3:40 p.m. Saturday, June 27, at Goldman Park in Middletown. The ride turned end-to-end as parents rushed to catch the ride, which was stabbed to deflate it and retrieve the boy.

Contributed photo by Linda Tucker An inflatable obstacle course ride got loose with an 11-year-old boy holding on just after 3:40 p.m. Saturday, June 27, at Goldman Park in Middletown. The ride turned end-to-end as parents rushed to catch the ride, which was stabbed to deflate it and retrieve the boy.

MIDDLETOWN — An 11-year-old boy got the ride of his life, thankfully without serious injury, Saturday afternoon, June 27, when an infatable ride went airborne with the boy inside.

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Our ball team was a part of this terribly run tournament. After our very short experience with the YAYAS, it does not surprise me at all the "YAYAS" was stamped all over the inflatables. We had a moment of ignorance and allowed our players to play on the rides and as we are very sorry for those who were a part of the tragedy, we are very happy that we took our kids off of it after seeing the lack of supervision.
It was a hot windless day. Wind had absolutely nothing to do with the accident!

LM
6:18 PM, 6/29/2009

Darrell - that was not an 80mph wind...not even close and to the poster saying the spikes were code, that is false...1/2 inch rebar maybe 12" long...I know a person from Trenton who picked up a volleyball peg that came off the inflateable; maybe 8"...if it was inspected by the state, you better be ready to produce the certificate

Tim
4:23 PM, 6/29/2009

I was there with my 7 year old girl getting ready to play a softball game.When a dust devil sparked up out of nowhere.It was the biggest dust devil I've ever seen.I'd say the winds picked up to over 80 mph or so.And that is what caused the Inflatables to let loose.

Darrell Petrey
3:10 PM, 6/29/2009

Like I'd said prior, I was one of the 1st to jump on the thing. I also think it was a mini-tornado / dirt-devil type wind. As I ran towards it I could for sure feel MUCH higher winds as I got closer. If you take a look at picture 4 you can actually see the dirt-devil hitting Field 3 with dirt and stuff flying upwards. When it came across where the rides were it was on the grass and not visable.
Regardless of that the stakes were way to short to hold them down - I saw them 10" and 16" tops.

MT
12:36 PM, 6/29/2009

CD ANSWER THIS QUESTION?

You posted the following..

"The state inspector was out on Friday night and did all inspections for the inflatables and he approved everything.
CD
8:45 AM, 6/29/2009 REPORT ABUSE"

You even refered to the inspecter as a him and not a her.

What department was this inspector with?
Did you talk with the inspector?

Put a few more facts describing this inspector. I am doubting at all if there were inspections period!

D
12:06 PM, 6/29/2009

K.

You're an idiot.

There's no way the air coming out of a slide can cause it to be go airborne. Its not a jet engine or something.

Oh, and I looked up the wind report on the web. Just because the article didn't state there was wind doesn't make it so.

Again. You're an idiot.

I'm just glad no one got seriously injured. (according to the article - so it MUST be true, right?)

KL
11:23 AM, 6/29/2009

People think these things are toys, they are not. They are amusement rides which are regulated by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Yep the same people who inspect your cows and chickens also inspection amusement rides.

Kenny
10:32 AM, 6/29/2009

We should all be thinking God that everyone is ok. Freak accidents happen every day. The weird thing is I was at another event that day with several inflatables and I never saw the wind lift them up. My guess is there were other circumstances. I do know at the other event there were adults watching the inflatables, not children. My kids really enjoy inflatables and we seem to play on them a lot and they have never seem unsafe. Just like car accidents I think it depends on the driver.

TC
10:29 AM, 6/29/2009

State inspectors come out to verify that insurance is being carried on the inflatables and that the rides are properly anchored. I have no way of knowing which inspector came out. If you want additional info, you need to contact someone involved with the Young Americans Youth Advancement Services. They should be able to give you the inspector's name.

CD
10:10 AM, 6/29/2009

Sue The manufacture, if they had not made it, this would not have happend!!
Blame everybody, the kids who played in it, must have been the kids fault.
Instead of Thanking God no one was seriously injured.
Wake up people........this is the real world with all kinds of dumb stuff happening every day.

Jim
9:34 AM, 6/29/2009

hey cd,

Why would a state inspector inspect this ride. Permits would have to be from local city/county if any. Please provide how you know this and pass along departments and phone numbers. Since this rolled over one of my little boys I would like to have a chat with this inspector. Thanks,

D

D
9:19 AM, 6/29/2009

(Wikipedia definition) Most dust devils are very small and weak; often less than 3 feet (0.9 m) in diameter with maximum winds averaging about 45 miles per hour (70 km/h), and they often dissipate less than a minute after forming. I was reading the warnings on this slide Sunday and it said evacuate inflatable immediately if winds reach 25 miles an hour. We know that day that beside the dust devil winds were not even close to 25 mph. Not enough force in the fans to propel unit through the air.

D
9:14 AM, 6/29/2009

KL...
The article does not mention any winds that day[duuh].It was the air coming out of the inflatable ride causing it to go airbourn! Annnd,
they do mention who set it up[Young American Youth Advancement Services].Maybe you should read the article again before making comments.HUH???

K...
8:45 AM, 6/29/2009

The state inspector was out on Friday night and did all inspections for the inflatables and he approved everything.

CD
8:45 AM, 6/29/2009

There's only one thing that causes this. A LOT of wind, combined with the units not being anchored properly. ("we'll see if they make it public" makes it sound like a secret)

NO inflatable should be operated in winds over 20mph, regardless of how well it is staked down. Wind was gusting up to 20mph, and was sustained at around 9mph, which shouldn't have caused this. Probably a freak accident.

Since there's no company mentioned, I assume whoever set it up didn't know any rules about it.

kL
10:14 PM, 6/28/2009

The entire tournament has been a joke!!! I saw the stakes used to "secure" the inflatables and there is no way they were up to code. I am playing the championship tomorrow and no one has called with game times or locations. People pre-brought t-shirts and no one has received them. Amatuer hour...I will not participate next year if these clowns are involved.

Tim
9:43 PM, 6/28/2009

I woluld like to think every one who reacted so fast in saving my son.If any one has any information that they want to share please e-mail me at browneyes6227@yahoo.com. I would like to know what you seen to find out how this happened and if you helped save my son or know who did please e-mail me.My son and my self would like to thank you.

melissa maloney
7:06 PM, 6/28/2009

I would like make this point. My 2 girls are always getting upset with me for "Parenting" I am constantly saying "No, No, No" Both are always trying to do dangerous things and it’s a full time job keeping them safe. Both girls approached me and asked if they could go onto the slide. I said "yes, after the game". We then watched them sailing away. By their own accord my girls will never get on an inflatable, and they understand why we have to say "No" as parents. Don’t Schools get these?

m
6:32 PM, 6/28/2009

I would like make this point. My 2 girls are always getting upset with me for "Parenting" I am constantly saying "No, No, No" Both are always trying to do dangerous things and it’s a full time job keeping them safe. Both girls approached me and asked if they could go onto the slide. I said "yes, after the game". We then watched them sailing away. By their own accord my girls will never get on an inflatable, and they understand why we have to say "No" as parents. Don’t Schools get these?

M
6:31 PM, 6/28/2009

I was there and it was scary watching it with about 200 people crowded around and my softball coach stabbing away at the inflateable one bout 5 year old girl i think was really hurt she had a neck brace around her neck for support, and my friends little brother was in the bounce tent and he said a dust devil caused the inflateables to go flying.

ali
6:29 PM, 6/28/2009

Your local ma and pa fly-by-day-or night rental companies put these out without licensing them by the state, have no insurance and don't care to train.

You get what you pay for. You what safety, there is a cost, hire a pro.

geo
5:08 PM, 6/28/2009

Trenton SWAT is Trenton's 10U Girls fastpitch softball team (Softball With AttiTude). Not the Trenton Police SWAT team. Thought you might want to know.

M
4:57 PM, 6/28/2009

"Young American Youth Advancement Services, which was running the softball event. The president of the Middletown-based company, Harry Gabbard, could not be reached for comment Saturday night."

Why doesn't that surprise me.

Inexperienced people should NOT be responsible for constructing things for our children.

Jon
4:18 PM, 6/28/2009

The guys from the Trenton SWAT Team couldn't have reacted better or faster and did a SUPER job.
I was talking with one guy from SWAT as it all started. He took off saying "Call 911" instantly. I was right behind him and we jumped on the one with the boy in it to stop it from going any further and until the guys with the knives could start cutting into it.
I also saw the stakes if you can call them that.
Some we 10" tent stakes - others 16" rebar stakes.
For sure not what is needed.

MT
3:40 PM, 6/28/2009

I could not believe what I was watching when it was flipping over and over again. I am thankful that the guys from the Trenton SWAT team was at the park. I know that their was more than those guys helped but I noticed a lot of guys wearing Trenton SWAT shirts that were hands on and in the middle of everything trying to help. One of them carried the boy out and treated his injuries along with a few nurses. I know they are well trained but wow was I impressed.

Nicole
3:17 PM, 6/28/2009

sounds to me like everyday ignorance to me. Lack of proper training, laziness or what ever you want to call it. Im sure it will be brought up but not confirmed. But im willing to bet it was the result of POOR WORK AND SUPERVISION , Something that infects 90% of the workforce today.Simple safety check could have prevented this. But you have to have a clue about what you are doing first.Seems too many people signed an app. for a job they didnt really want , nobody's fault but your own.

dan
2:46 PM, 6/28/2009

my son tyler was the one on the SLIDE not the opstacle course and he was all alone helping work them because there were not enough workers and he could have died yesterday god was with him and us! i dont know what happened and who to blame but something doesn't seem right and i just thank god he is ok.

melissa maloney
8:24 AM, 6/28/2009

I was a witness to this horrific accident. I also saw the "stakes" used to hold these things down. They wouldn't have anchored my dog, let alone a large inflatable jungle gym.

js
7:50 AM, 6/28/2009

I'll be willing to bet it was too windy and they were using nails to hold down the unit. Clearly it needed 48 inch double headed tent stakes.

Kenny
7:17 AM, 6/28/2009

I was there when it happened....My son was on one and jumped off with a friend as it went airborne. There were workers at all the inflatables. It has to be one of the scariest things I've ever seen - KIDS were getting thrown around like little rag dolls 35 plus feet in the air. Thank god there weren't more kids - THANK GOD period !!!! Trust me - the reason for it happening had nothing to do with amount of workers or kids. They know what caused it....we'll see if they make it public.

MT
2:11 AM, 6/28/2009

Well number one there should have been someone there at all times to watch the inflatable. Two these have to be state approved! And three they are only allowed so many kids in them or by weight.

ca
11:48 PM, 6/27/2009

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