Video shows bounce house in Hickory being picked up by wind, flying toward child

HICKORY, N.C. (WBTV) - A mother in Hickory shared a video on Facebook showing a bounce house during one of her children’s birthday parties getting picked up by the wind and almost hitting a child.

In the video, the bounce house’s straps broke before it began flying in the air and headed towards a boy nearby in the backyard.

The mother, Jennifer Beane said everyone had just gone inside and the boy was still outside to grab a basketball.

When the wind picked up, parents inside saw it in the air and the child began screaming for them when everyone ran outside. The child said the bounce house grazed his head and his back but he took off running away from it.

“It could have been much, much worse,” Beane wrote on Facebook. “Please, if you get a bounce house be sure to watch out for how bad the winds will be.”

WBTV reached out to the North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL) about regulations regarding bounce houses. Officials responded with a statement.

“Companies that own inflatable devices are required to have those devices inspected annually by the N.C. Department of Labor. Our inspectors typically conduct the inspections at the company’s location or in some nearby location where the company can demonstrate the proper set up procedures. Our inspectors make sure that the company knows how to set up the devices in accordance with all applicable standards. We also inspect the equipment (including the actual inflatable, the blower, the straps, etc.), looking for any type of holes, tears, leaks or any other possible structural issues. We also verify the company has liability insurance. Once a device has passed our annual inspection, our inspector places a NCDOL tag on the device. In the case of a private citizen renting an inflatable device for residential/personal use, there is no requirement that the company must install the device. The company would likely provide instructions to the customer on proper set up and recommended procedures. A person interested in renting an inflatable device should ask the company for proof of an NCDOL inspection,” the statement read.

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