According to the BBC, the largest free-standing cylindrical aquarium in the world containing a million litres of water in the lobby of the Radisson Blu in Berlin has burst, flooding the hotel and nearby streets.
The explosion of the “AquaDom” which is home to 1,500 fish and is 15.85m high left 2 people injured by its falling glass after the blast.
According to reports at the time of its construction, it costed about RM60 million to build.
Police said there had been “incredible” damage and guests had to be moved out of the hotel following the incident.
A spokesman for Berlin’s fire brigade told the BBC the vast majority of the fish had died, while the cold weather had made rescue attempts more difficult. The tank had contained more than 100 different species.
However, fire brigade official James Klein later told local media that “several dozen” fish had been found alive in places where residual water had collected. He said they were being rehoused in other aquariums.
More than 100 fire fighters were in attendance at the incident in Berlin on Friday morning.
The Mayor of Berlin Franziska Giffey went to the hotel to see the damage and described the tank burst as being like a tsunami.
She expressed relief it had happened so early in the morning because if it were to happen an hour or so later, the lobby and street outside would have been busy with visitors, many of them children.
The aquarium was modernised 2 years ago, and there is a clear-walled lift built inside for use by visitors. Some of the rooms in the hotel are advertised as having views of it.
A police source told local media there is no evidence the break was the result of a targeted attack.
But there has been speculation that freezing temperature, which dropped as low as -6C overnight may have caused a crack in the tank.
AquaDom was opened in December 2003 and was given the Guinness World Record for being the world’s largest cylindrical aquarium.
We hope that apart from the fishes, the victims make a speedy recovery.
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