The German women’s basketball national team experienced an unexpected middle-of-the-night disruption during their tournament campaign when a hotel fire alarm forced players and staff onto the street. According to reports from the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa), the incident occurred shortly after 2:00 a.m. on Sunday at the team’s accommodation in Berlin.
Midnight Evacuation Follows Hard-Fought Victory Over Japan
The disturbance arrived just hours after Germany secured a crucial win against Japan, leaving players eager for rest ahead of their group stage finale against Mali on Monday. According to dpa, the building’s occupants had to evacuate onto the street until emergency personnel and hotel staff gave the all-clear for everyone to return to their rooms.
Because the German squad had a scheduled rest day following the evacuation, the sleep interruption had a minimal impact on their tournament schedule. The team is staying at a shared official hotel housing multiple participating squads.
Accommodation Arrangements Separate Top Seeds
While the German roster and several other international teams share the Berlin hotel, the tournament’s top-seeded team opted for separate lodgings. According to dpa reporting, the star-studded Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) selection representing the United States secured independent private accommodations for the duration of the competition.