Giant aquarium explodes in Berlin hotel

The glass walls of the AquaDom, a structure about fifteen meters high, gave way around 6 a.m. for an as-yet unknown reason.

It was a real tsunamisaid the city’s mayor, Francisca Kiffi, who arrived at the scene after the disaster.

The spectacular incident that resulted in two minor injuries could have been much higher.

If this happens during an emergency, Terrible loss of life To be sorry, she thought.

” A huge explosion was heard, like firecrackers, but the walls of the hotel shook. »

Nearly 1,500 tropical fishes became extinct. A few dozen of them, disembarked In waterlogged areasA spokesman for the fire department told local media that the rescue was successful.

This is how AquaDom presents itself on its website World’s largest cylindrical aquarium.

There is nothing in the huge reservoir that holds a million liters of water. It is enthroned in the lobby of the Radisson Blu Hotel in the tourist district of Cathedral and Museum Island.

The aquarium was equipped with a glass elevator, which was deserted at the time, allowing visitors to see the marine life from inside.

Water and fish poured downThen the adjacent streets, carrying loads of debris, a fire department spokesman told AFP.

The hotel was gradually evacuated so that only around 300 residents could gauge the extent of the damage.

Destruction

Only a few of the 1,500 exotic fish that lived in the aquarium were saved.

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Photo: Associated Press/Soren Stach

In front of the entrance to the establishment, broken items were scattered on the frozen ground in the morning, AFP journalists noted.

Sabine Andersch’s room was on the third floor, where everything worked normally, she said. But When we went down the stairs, there was water everywhere, debris, torn doors. It was interestingshe says.

” It was almost as unimaginable as the bombing. »

Everything was destroyed. The bar where I sat the day before was no morehe said.

Liberal MP Sandra Weiser, who spent the night at the hotel, said at first she thought it was an earthquake.

While vacating the hotel, she found the lobby empty Dark and wetShe said daily Berliner Morganpost.

An image struck her: One of those big parrotfish on the ground, completely frozen The capital is going through a wave of winter cold with sub-zero temperatures.

What caused the wall to break?

Now it is a question of determining the causes of the incident. The aquarium did not fall victim to a simple crack, He explodedA fire department spokesman said.

The investigation is definitely not over, but the first elements point to material wearThe city’s interior minister, Iris Spranger, assured local media.

Enlarge the image (new window)

The largest aquarium was over eight stories high.

Photo: Getty Images/Kurt Winion

The AquaDom reopened last summer after a long and expensive renovation of 2 million euros, Berlin’s mayor underlined.

The company that owns AquaDom, Union Investments, announced itself Destroyed by disaster Whose appearance is there Totally blurry.

We are currently working with the police and fire department to try to get a better idea of ​​the situation and the extent of the damage.Fabian Hellbusch told the daily Dayspiegel.

The Sea Life Aquarium complex is located nearby and is usually visited at the same time as the Aquadome. Closed until further noticeHis role was noted by Marcel Clouse, regional director of his parent company, Merlin Entertainments.

As for the GDR Museum, built near the site and underground, it is partially flooded and will be closed until the end of February, said its director, Gordon Godin. Berliner CourierAddition of approx 30% of the exhibition surface was destroyed.