Toddler critically-ill after storm swept bounce house high into the sky then flung it back onto the ground

Published: 06:49, 2 June 2026 | Updated: 06:50, 2 June 2026 A three-year-old is in critical condition after a violent storm lifted a bounce house into the air, sending it soaring before it slammed back to the ground.  A thunderstorm swept through the Greater Montreal area Sunday afternoon, when police received a call at 4.25pm that a children’s inflatable castle had blown away from Ouellette Park in the LaSalle borough, CTV News reported. Paramedics evaluated 11 people at the scene and six were taken to the hospital, including four adults and two children. Officials believe the bounce house was lifted about 12 ft in the air, according to the outlet. Witness Rosella Peluzzo, who was at a church gathering in the park, said that once the inflatable hit the ground, people rushed in to rescue the children trapped inside.  'All of a sudden, we see this dark cloud coming towards us. A lot of wind came towards here, chairs started flying, tables started flying,' Peluzzo told the outlet. 'I see the inflated house, and it went up high... It was just turning up in the air. A three-year-old is in critical condition after a violent storm lifted a bounce house into the air Paramedics evaluated 11 people at the scene and six were taken to the hospital 'They were hurt, and I know that they were all sent to the Children’s Hospital,' she added. LaSalle Mayor Nancy Blanchet spoke about the incident, expressing concern and support for those affected.  'I was deeply saddened to learn of the tragic accident that occurred late [Sunday] afternoon during a family gathering at Ouellette Park,' Blanchet said. The mayor said investigators are looking into what happened, adding '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.' The Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Montreal and nearby areas, warning of strong wind gusts, quarter-size hail, and heavy rain.  Police received a call at 4.25pm that a children’s inflatable castle had blown away from Ouellette Park in the LaSalle borough LaSalle Mayor Nancy Blanchet spoke out regarding the incident 'Take immediate cover if a thunderstorm approaches,' the agency warned.  'If outside, protect yourself from flying debris and hail,' it added. In the next town over, Montreal’s Mercier–Hochelaga–Maisonneuve borough, a large tree fell on at least two parked cars on Leclaire Street during the storm. No one was hurt.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.