Toddler in critical condition after inflatable castle flies during severe thunderstorm

A three-year-old child is in critical condition after a severe thunderstorm swept through the Greater Montreal area on Sunday, causing some damage and sending several people to the hospital.

Urgences-Santé says it received a 911 call at 4:25 p.m. about an inflatable play structure that had blown away in Ouellette Park in the borough of LaSalle.

When paramedics arrived at the scene, they evaluated 11 people, sending six of them to hospital, including four adults and two children, one of whom remains in critical condition.

“All of a sudden, we see this dark cloud coming towards us,” said Rosella Peluzzo, who attended the event organized by the Madredei Cristiani Church. “A lot of wind came towards here, chairs started flying, tables started flying. I see the inflated house, and it went up high, at least 40 feet, I would say. It was just turning up in the air.”

A borough worker later told CTV News that officials believe the castle flew an estimated 12 feet in the air.

Peluzzo says once the inflatable landed back on the ground, everyone ran to rescue the children trapped inside.

“They were hurt, and I know that they were all sent to the Children’s Hospital,” said Peluzzo.

LaSalle Mayor Nancy Blanchet expressed her condolences to the families involved in the incident.

“I was deeply saddened to learn of the tragic accident that occurred late [Sunday] afternoon during a family gathering at Ouellette Park,” she said.

Blanchet notes that authorities are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and “any necessary measures will be considered.”

“Our entire community is deeply shaken by this serious accident,” she said. “Please know that the safety of the public, particularly that of children, remains a priority.”

Uprooted trees

Across town in Montreal’s Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough, first responders were also called after a large tree collapsed onto at least two parked cars on Leclaire Street between Adam and Sainte-Catherine streets.

There were no reported injuries.

Over the weekend, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) had issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the Montreal, Laval, Longueuil-Varennes and Châteauguay-La Prairie areas, “capable of producing strong wind gusts, up to quarter-size hail and heavy rain.”

“Take immediate cover if a thunderstorm approaches,” the agency had insisted. “If outside, protect yourself from flying debris and hail.”

Severe thunderstorm warnings are issued when imminent or occurring thunderstorms are expected to produce damaging hail, wind or rain.