Waterspout Lifts Bounce House and Three Kids Into Air [Video]

A waterspout formed at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park over the weekend.  This one came ashore and lifted up two inflatable BOUNCE houses with children inside.  One of them was lifted 40 or 50 feet into the air when it still had kids inside.

Luckily even though the kids were lifted into the air, the kids were thrown onto the sand before the house flew above palm trees, across a parking lot, and over four lanes of traffic.

The kids were alert and conscious when they were found and suffered minor injuries, including fractures.  Three of them were taken to the hospital and held overnight for observation.  All are under 8 years old.  The bounce house was secured to a basketball court as part of a city-sponsored family activity zone for Memorial Day.  But the waterspout was so strong that it snapped a concrete pole holding a basketball hoop.

A waterspout is when a tornado-type funnel develops over a body of water. They typically dissipate quickly once it's onshore, which this one did, but not before causing damage and injuries.