Hotel's aquarium explodes killing 1,500 fish and sending 'wave' of water through streets

A huge aquarium has shattered in Berlin, releasing a wave of water into the street and leaving two people injured and 1,500 tropical fish dead, police have said. Glass and other debris swept out of the building in the explosion of one million litres (264,172 gallons) of water in the Sea Life tourist attraction and world’s largest freestanding cylindrical aquarium just before 6am today.

Berlin’s fire service said two people were lightly injured and rescue dogs were being prepared to search the building for anyone who might be trapped under debris.

According to speculation, the cold weather may be to blame, as it has been suggested that freezing temperatures reaching as low as -10C overnight had caused a crack in the 14-metre-tall tank, named the AquaDom, meaning it could no longer withstand the weight of the water.

Police said the cause of the incident was still being investigated, adding there was no evidence that it was the result of an attack.

The massive aquarium was located in the foyer of a Radisson Blu hotel and has a clear-walled elevator built inside to be used by visitors to the Sea Life leisure complex, which last ten minutes and was a significant part of the attraction.

According to the Sea Life website, the AquaDom is the largest cylindrical, freestanding aquarium in the world, and held 80 different species of fish. 

It is a major tourist attraction for Berlin.

Two people were injured in the explosion by shards of glass. Berlin police added on Twitter that it has caused “incredible maritime damage” after well over 1,000 fish died in the incident.

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The nearby Karl-Liebknecht street has been partially closed off because there is “an extreme amount of water on the road”, Berlin’s public transport officials said.

Videos shared online show the devastation left following the explosion, with the tank empty and debris strewn across the floor. 

Witness to the event Gwendolin Szyszkowitz told German news channel n-tv that she heard a loud bang and initially feared a bomb had exploded.

source: express.co.uk