Bradley Vogt sentenced over drug-fuelled Experience Bella flooding rampage
Amazing footage showing a luxury Southbank hotel employee bolting outside as water violently gushes into the foyer has been released after a meth head turned on every fire hydrant on 18 floors. WATCH THE VIDEO
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Footage has been released showing the moment a luxury Southbank hotel foyer is flooded and a panicked employee makes a run for the front door after a man turned on fire hydrants on 18 floors.
The video, from the foyer of the Experience Bella Hotel, which ice-addled bartender Bradley Vogt flooded during a drug-induced rampage, shows water seeping in from under a staircase door gradually increasing.
A woman, presumably an employee, can be seen on her mobile phoning for help but eventually gives up as the water continues to increase.
Eventually, the pressure pushes the bottom of the door out, and water rushes into the foyer as the woman bolts out the front door.
The amazing video was released as Vogt was sentenced in the County Court over the incident, which ended with an estimated $1.55 million damage bill and more than 300 people without a place to stay.
The court earlier this month heard Vogt had hit the ice pipe before he turned on every fire escape hydrant from level 18 down to level 1 just after 9pm on May 27, 2018.
Vogt, who had checked into the City Rd hotel with mate Adriano Lando three days earlier, triggered an alarm to the Melbourne Fire Brigade.
Firefighters, who arrived at the scene within 15 minutes, were met by an already flooded lobby.
Crews began evacuating more than 150 guests and permanent residents and turned off hydrants as they ascended the fire escape.
MFB officer Tim Erikson found Vogt on level ten with a mop in an “obviously a futile attempt” to soak up the water.
He told Vogt to go downstairs but the menace turned on a hydrant on another level as he walked down.
Another crew discovered Vogt lying down on a step near level eight with a mop in his hand and water gushing over him.
Vogt told firefighters “he had to do it (turn on the hydrants)” because “they’re out of jail”.
“They’re after me, they’re after me,” Vogt said.
Two firefighters, one in front and one behind, walked Vogt down to the ground floor.
Vogt, who was acting “violent and aggressive” barricaded himself in the manager’s office when police arrived.
Police witnessed Vogt “erratically” pressing numbers on a printer while he darted his eyes at them.
Vogt was tackled to the ground after he tried to push pass police.
Officers discovered a gram of ice and a crack pipe in the office.
Vogt, who had to be sedated by paramedics, was taken to the Alfred where hospital staff found seven grams of ice stashed in his undies.
Vogt, 28, was sentenced to jail yesterday after pleading guilty to intentionally damage property, resist an emergency worker on duty and drug possession.
Authorities estimated 432,000 litres of water flooded the apartment block.
The pressure caused a “bulging” ground floor fire exit door to snap in half allowing water to fill up the lobby.
The footage showed occupants frantically escaping the metre-high swell of water.
Power was cut after the water seeped through electrical fittings.
Prosecutor Craig McConaghy compared the chaotic situation to a bushfire.
“(It was not) catastrophic but there was a level of danger given the flow of water down the stairs,” he said.
City of Melbourne inspectors issued an emergency order after declaring the building unsafe.
Many of the hotel’s rooms were unable to be used in the weeks following the incident
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An insurance company forked out more than $400,000 to cover loss of rental income and temporary accommodation costs.
Defence counsel submitted Vogt’s offending was “impulsive and spontaneous” but Judge Martine Marich questioned the submission considering the length of time it took Vogt to turn on all the hydrants.
Judge Marich, in sentencing Vogt to two years and 18 days’ jail and a two-year community corrections order, said she was satisfied he “caused extensive and pervasive loss and damage as a result of your actions”.