They might have saved on swimming pool entry fees, but their inventive way of beating the heat proved to be a costly error: A pool party in Stuttgart came to a rather dramatic end on the weekend when the first-floor balcony collapsed and sent six bathers crashing to the ground. 

Pool party drama in Stuttgart

Stuttgart police announced on Sunday afternoon that they had been called to attend to a collapsed balcony that had resulted in six minor casualties and property damage amounting to around 100.000 euros. 

The reason for the collapse was pretty obvious: a paddling pool, three metres in diameter and 70 centimetres in height, had been set up on the balcony and was being enjoyed by six people, aged between 21 and 54.

“Water also weighs a bit”

The weight was presumably too much to bear for the wooden balcony, which collapsed on one side and sent the bathers plunging four metres to the ground. A van, which was parked under the balcony, apparently helped to break the fall. 

Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt: five people received treatment at the scene, and one person was taken to hospital with light injuries. All were in shock and were apparently unable to explain what had happened.  

“People just forget that water also weighs a bit,” said a police spokesperson. 

Thumb: 7aktuell.de / Andreas Werner