Minor injuries for 17 Algonquin students in bounce house accident

Six students from Algonquin Lakes Elementary School were sent to area hospitals for evaluation Thursday after they were injured in a bounce house during an indoor school celebration, officials said. Another 11 students were treated at the school and released to their parents.

“The bouncy house ... it became a little bit off balance and, as a result, some of the children were complaining of various aches, pains, scratches — things of that nature,” Community Unit District 300 Associate Superintendent Sarah Kedroski said. “There was absolutely nothing serious that occurred.”

Battalion Chief Mike Kern of the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District said the accident might have also involved an inflatable slide but he couldn’t tell because everything had been deflated by the time fire personnel arrived.

Fire district personnel responded to a request for emergency medical service shortly after noon at the school for a report of a child with a hip injury inside the gymnasium, according to a news release.

Upon arrival, emergency personnel encountered two students involved in the bounce house accident. While treating the two injured students, they worked with the school district and medical staff to see whether anyone else had been hurt.

In the end, six students were taken to Sherman Hospital in Elgin and Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington for evaluations.

Eleven other students left with their parents after they were treated at the school. School remained in session afterward, Kedroski said.

The injuries occurred during the fifth grade’s end of the school year celebration — Friday is the last day of school, Kedroski said.

The district later notified every parent via phone and email about the accident. As well, the district has launched an investigation into what led to the accident and why it occurred.