A 2-year-old boy died after he was swept away in a bounce house south of the Phoenix area last weekend.
The incident happened Saturday evening in Casa Grande, Arizona.
Officials with the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said several children were playing in the bounce house when a strong gust of wind carried the inflatable away and into a nearby lot. According to the National Weather Service, winds gusted up to 20 mph at the Casa Grande Municipal Airport on Saturday.
The 2-year-old boy was taken to a hospital, where he died, officials say. A second child was also taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The sheriff's office says the incident appears to be a "tragic accident."
According to the American Meteorological Society, there were 132 recorded cases of wind-related bounce house incidents worldwide from 2000 through 2021. Those incidents caused at least 28 deaths and 479 injuries.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission says inflatables should not be used when winds exceed 20 mph.
According to the Mayo Clinic, bounce houses must be securely attached to the ground and avoided when high winds or storms are present.
Nationwide Children's Hospital recommends placing bounce houses on flat, even surfaces away from trees, branches or electrical lines.
This article was originally published by Scripps News Phoenix.
