A child-safe lock has been installed on a riverside playground next to where two children drowned on New Year’s Eve in Perth.
A four-year-old girl and six-year-old boy died after they were found unconscious in the Swan River near a popular family picnic spot at Burswood Park.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Child-safe lock installed at Burswood park near where children drowned.
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Despite the efforts of paramedics and doctors at Perth Children’s Hospital, the pair, from separate families, could not be revived.
It is still unclear if the children had been in the playground before they drowned but their deaths quickly turned the spotlight on to the safety of the area.
It also emerged that multiple families had raised concerns about the lack of a lockable gate years before the tragedy.
A pool-style lock was fitted to one of the playground’s gates on Friday, almost two weeks after the fatal incident, and further change is on the cards.
On Wednesday it was reported the Burswood Park Board had sought out WA’s Royal Life Saving Society for advice on safety at the site.
An independent playground safety expert has also been appointed to conduct a review of the area.
The park board previously expressed sympathy to the grieving families and their friends.
“While the exact circumstances surrounding this incident remain unclear at this point, Burswood Park Board will be collaborating with police and the Coronial Investigation Squad to assist them with whatever information is required,” it said in a statement.
“Burswood Park Board places the utmost importance on ensuring the safety and well-being of all visitors to Burswood Park and will also undertake a review of the riverside area’s safety, including the playground.”
