Toddler Critically Hurt When N.H. Bouncy House Goes Airborne

NASHUA, N.H. (AP/CBS) — Two toddlers were injured — one critically — when a bouncy house they had crawled into at a New Hampshire orchard went airborne.

A 2-year-old boy was flown by helicopter to Tufts Medical Center in Boston. A 3-year-old boy was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The accident occurred at Sullivan Farm Greenhouse and Orchard in Nashua on Sunday.

Ellen Smith was at the farm when she saw something in the air.

"I saw the bouncy house fly into the air as high as the building behind me and as soon as it went up it flipped and came crashing down," she said. "It's just a freak very, very sad incident that happened."

Nashua fire officials say the structure sailed 50-60 feet before crashing to the ground, trapping the youngsters inside. Their parents were able to rescue them.

Farmer Gary Bergeron, who bought the bouncy house for use in a fundraiser, said it was inflated to dry it out after recent rain and was not officially in use at the time of the accident.

"It was off in a restricted area," Bergeron told WBZ. "It wasn't supposed to be in operation, and somehow two children got inside it."

Bergeron said the house was missing some key safety features, and was off-limits.

"There is supposed to be four tethers and there was only three and no spikes," he said.

The accident remains under investigation.

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