Party rental business owner shares safety tips after inflatable attraction injures 3 in Lakewood

What was supposed to be a fun event for Passover turned sour after a large inflatable attraction blew over and injured three people.

News 12 Staff

Apr 11, 2023, 11:11 PM

Updated 745 days ago

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What was supposed to be a fun event for Passover turned sour after a large inflatable attraction blew over and injured three people.
One pregnant woman was left with abdominal pain and two other adults suffered head injuries and were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Police say wind played a large factor, as the immediate area reported winds up to 15 to 20 mph at the time of the incident. Authorities are investigating if negligence may have led to the ride becoming loose.
“You want to make sure that the wind speeds are no more than 15 to 25 mph - I know it sounds like a pretty big range...but it does depend on the inflatable itself,” says Scott Fcasni, the co-owner of Outdoor Celebrations.
He says it's also important to note the inflatables were on an asphalt surface.
“If you want to do it on asphalt, it can be done, but sandbags have to be used at the appropriate weight at anchor points,” he says.
Most companies are required to provide customers with written safety instructions and warnings are typically listed on the sides of the structures.
“We encourage everyone to not enter, if you're pregnant or if you have any kind of physical problems,” Fcasni says.
It's unclear if the injured pregnant woman was in the inflatable attraction at the time of the incident or nearby.
Fcasni says he hopes proper training will be put in place at other inflatable companies moving forward if there aren't any currently.
“We do require all of our employees to take these safety courses. This business, you typically hire seasonal employees, and it's just as important that those people take these safety courses as your full-time people,” he says.