Bizarre escapade: Mystery behind $3m Southbank hotel flood
IT was a night of mayhem that saw 300 guests evacuated as 400,000 litres of water flooded their Southbank hotel. But what was behind the bizarre escapade?
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A MAN accused of causing more than $3 million damage to a city hotel by opening fire hydrants and flooding it, is the son of a hotelier, a bail hearing has been told.
Police said Bradley Vogt, 27, was high on a cocktail of drugs at the time, but they remained baffled as to his motive.
The Melbourne Magistrate’ Court heard CCTV footage showed Mr Vogt entering a level 18 stairwell of Southbank’s Experience Bella Hotel on May 27.
CITY ROAD BUILDING EVACUATED DUE TO FLOODING
Police said he then made his way downstairs, opening hydrants on each level.
More than 400,000 litres of water flooded the hotel.
Though fire crews arrived just 14 minutes after the concierge was alerted to the unfolding mayhem, the building had already been inundated.
Power was shut off after water seeped through light fittings and electrical sockets, and at least one fire escape door burst from the pressure of the water building up in the stairwell. The hotel’s 300 guests had to be evacuated.
Police said Mr Vogt was found back upstairs with a mop, cleaning up. They said he became violent with officers and had to be sedated, before being arrested and restrained on an ambulance stretcher.
Police deemed him unfit to be interviewed.
They said he and a friend had been using ice, GHB and cannabis earlier that day.
More than five weeks after the flooding, the hotel is still not fully up and running.
The cost of repairs has been estimated at $3.1 million, but authorities say that figure is rising.
Two floors had to be completely refurbished.
Wednesday’s bail hearing was told Mr Vogt had spent about a year in consecutive drug rehabilitation programs in Byron Bay, Sydney, and Melbourne.
Prosecutors vigorously opposed his bail application.
Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg denied bail, saying despite good family support there was an unacceptable risk Mr Vogt would commit offences and endanger public safety.