Arabic version: معلّم يروي حزنه المستمر في تحقيق هيلكريست

According to ABC News, former Hillcrest Primary School teacher Stephen Fenn told a coronial inquest he could not return to work after six students died in the December 16, 2021 jumping castle tragedy in north-west Tasmania. Fenn, a year five/six teacher at the school, gave evidence by video link before Coroner Olivia McTaggart in Devonport.

Students Addison Stewart, Chace Harrison, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Peter Dodt and Zane Mellor died when a freak wind lifted and tossed a jumping castle across the school oval. Three classmates were seriously injured. Fenn said he had been supervising students waiting for the jumping castle when he saw a dust devil approaching.

He told the court the wind event was unlike anything he had seen or experienced. Standing beneath a gazebo near the jumping castle with operator Rosemary Gamble, he said grass and dust were lifted and their view was obstructed. He heard a “whoosh” and then heard Gamble ask where the jumping castle had gone. Fenn said he tried to help victims, first going to Jye and then attempting to resuscitate Jalailah.

Fenn said police later asked him to attend Mersey Community Hospital at Latrobe to help identify victims. He became emotional when shown Addison Stewart’s body, saying he had not known she had died. He said the tragedy forced him to retire three years earlier than planned, had reduced his joy of life and made him particularly cautious about wind events.

The resumed inquest is in its second of three planned hearing blocks. Counsel assisting the coroner Maree Norton SC said proceedings would consider Australian safety standards for inflatable amusement devices and instruction manuals used by Gamble. Gamble is due to give evidence on Thursday, while retired Tasmania Police detective inspector Kim Steven is also expected to give evidence this week.