The strong winds that swept through Scarborough on Canada Day left a trail of destruction, including a deflated bouncy castle at Bridlewood Mall. Two people were treated for minor injuries after the inflatable structure was blown over.
A Toronto Police spokesperson reported that officers responded to a medical call in the parking lot of the mall, located in the Warden Ave. and Finch Ave. East area, shortly before 6 p.m. on Canada Day. The inflatable bouncy castle, known as The Royal Duck, had "flipped over" in the wind, sending two people to hospital for treatment.
The incident has been taken over by Ontario's Ministry of Labour for investigation, with an inspector attending the scene on Wednesday. However, no further details are available at this time.
The Royal Duck is billed as the world's largest travelling bounce park, spanning 22,000 square feet or over 6,700 square metres. It was set up at the mall in early June and was expected to stay until Sunday, but a short burst of strong winds caused significant damage.
This is the second incident in recent weeks involving a bouncy castle being swept up by strong winds in Canada. On May 31, a three-year-old girl in Montreal was rushed to hospital in critical condition after a bouncy castle was blown high into the air, resulting in her death.
The incident has sparked discussions about the risks associated with outdoor attractions during severe weather conditions. In this case, the bouncy castle was closed when bad weather was forecast, but the strong winds caught everyone off guard, leaving two people injured.
