WA: Boy dies after fall from flying fox at Perth park

AAP General News (Australia)
04-22-2006
WA: Boy dies after fall from flying fox at Perth park

PERTH, April 22 AAP - A 10-year-old boy who fell from a flying fox in a Perth park
has died, sparking fears about playground safety across the country.

The boy was playing in a park in the south-eastern suburb of Armadale about 6pm (WST)
yesterday when he fell and hit his head, a West Australian police spokesman said.

Local residents gave first aid but the boy died later at Princess Margaret Hospital.

"Basically he was just playing with other children at a park on a flying fox and he
fell and struck his head on some play equipment," the spokesman said.

The police spokesman also confirmed WorkSafe officers were investigating.

Armadale mayor Linton Reynolds today defended the safety of playgrounds in Perth, saying
the equipment was regularly inspected to ensure it met safety standards.

"It was inspected as recently as three weeks ago in terms of, was it new - it was installed
in 1992 - but it's regularly maintained, so the best knowledge I have is that the equipment
was safe," he told ABC Radio.

If the flying fox, which features in many Australian playgrounds, was found to be unsafe
it would have an impact on playgrounds across the country, Mr Reynolds said

"If a subsequent coronial inquiry determines these things are unsafe, then obviously
right around Australia they'll have to be withdrawn from playground equipment," he said.

Child accident prevention group Kidsafe WA ceo Sue Wicks said thousands of children
were taken to hospital each year with fall related injuries - a quarter of those occurring
in playgrounds.

"In this particular instance it sounds like it's been a head injury," she told ABC Radio.

Ms Wicks said she would be seeking the details of the investigation.

AAP ved/cjh/

KEYWORD: PLAYGROUND

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