Current:Home > MarketsBounce house swept up by wind kills one child and injures another-LoTradeCoin
Bounce house swept up by wind kills one child and injures another
View Date:2024-12-23 23:59:51
One child was killed and another injured when a bounce house was swept up by wind in Casa Grande, Arizona, in what local authorities called “a tragic accident.”
Saturday’s fatality occurred after a strong gust sent the inflatable toy house “airborne into the neighboring lot” with several children playing inside, according to a statement from the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office.
A two-year-old was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. The second child was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities didn’t publicly identify the victims.
Experts say unsafe wind conditions can trigger such accidents frequently, especially in the southwestern U.S. However, the sheriff’s office said it was not aware of any similar events in Pinal County.
Few states in the U.S. have explicit guidelines or regulations for setting up bounce houses, despite the weather-related risks.
One study of wind-related bounce house accidents found that most happened due to a few meteorological causes. Dust devils and distant thunderstorms are two common precursors.
Dust devils stem from a difference in heating that causes an updraft in one area and a downdraft in another, said Jeff Masters, founder of Weather Underground and now with Yale Climate Connections.
“All you would need is a little bit of a wind gust from the side to cause that to spin, and it creates a vortex,” he said.
The result can be winds of 50 to 60 miles per hour.
Cold fronts, or conditions after one, can cause falling temperatures, atmospheric pressure changes and gusty winds.
“All it takes is a minute of wind to loft one of those things,” Masters said of bounce houses. “And if you have your bounce house up, then you’re at risk.” ___
Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate solutions reporter. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at [email protected].
veryGood! (28124)
Related
- COINIXIAI Introduce
- Disney seeks major expansion of California theme park to add more immersive attractions
- Kate Middleton Breaks Silence on Edited Family Photo Controversy
- Why Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh's Oscars Dresses Are Stumping Fans
- Trump has promised to ‘save TikTok’. What happens next is less clear
- Victims of Catholic nuns rely on each other after being overlooked in the clergy sex abuse crisis
- Emma Stone wins second Oscar for best actress, with a slight wardrobe malfunction: Watch
- Have you ever been called someone's 'moot'? The social media slang's meaning, unpacked
- Mason Bates’ Met-bound opera ‘Kavalier & Clay’ based on Michael Chabon novel premieres in Indiana
- Why Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh's Oscars Dresses Are Stumping Fans
Ranking
- Fire crews on both US coasts battle wildfires, 1 dead; Veterans Day ceremony postponed
- The 2024 Oscars were worse than bad. They were boring.
- Backcountry skier dies after falling 600 feet down Mount Washington ravine
- Sean Ono Lennon wishes mom Yoko Ono a happy Mother's Day at the Oscars
- Horoscopes Today, November 9, 2024
- Ryan Gosling greets fans, Vanessa Hudgens debuts baby bump: The top Oscars red carpet moments
- Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Make Surprise Appearance at Madonna's Oscars 2024 After-Party
- Vanessa Hudgens reveals baby bump on Oscars red carpet
Recommendation
-
Colorado police shot, kill mountain lion after animal roamed on school's campus
-
Investigation says Ex-Colorado forensic scientist manipulated DNA test results in hundreds of cases
-
At US universities, record numbers of Indian students seek brighter prospects — and overseas jobs
-
Kylie Jenner Stuns in New Sam Edelman Campaign: An Exclusive Behind the Scenes Look
-
Ben Foster Files for Divorce From Laura Prepon After 6 Years of Marriage
-
Emma Stone wins second Oscar for best actress, with a slight wardrobe malfunction: Watch
-
Why Christina Applegate Is “Kind of in Hell” Amid Battle With Multiple Sclerosis
-
Schools are hiring more teachers than ever. So why aren't there enough of them?