An inflatable slide flipped over after it was hit with a gust of wind on Friday. The accident left five children injured. It happened outside of Jefferson Elementary School on Fowler Avenue. That’s between Shaw and Gettysburg in Clovis. The children weren’t seriously injured; they had minor cuts and bruises.
The slide was pinned down, but a powerful gust of wind picked up the entire slide along with the stakes in the grass and knocked it over. Seven students all in the 5th grade were on the slide when the accident happened. Witnesses say teachers jumped onto the slide trying to hold it down. The slide was part of a reward for the children because of their spring fundraiser. All day classes were brought out to enjoy the slide. About seventy children were on the playground when the accident took place. Clovis Unified spokesperson, Kelly Avants says, "We always look ahead obviously when we do activities like this. When the event started the wind was very light and at this point what caused the item to tip over was a random dust devil." Investigators were out there to make sure all the safety procedures were taking place before the accident.
