A popular tourist attraction called the AquaDom exploded late last week, resulting in thousands of gallons of water spilled and thousands of fish dead.
The AquaDom sat in the lobby of the Radisson Blu Hotel in Berlin, Germany. It was referred to as the largest free-standing cylindrical aquarium in the world at 52 feet high, and home to at least a hundred species of tropical fish, the BBC reports .
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The Aquarium Burst In The Early Morning.
Reports state that the explosion happened just before 6 am local time, resulting in 1 million liters (264,000 gallons) of water spilling into the lobby and surrounding buildings. The hotel contains cafes and a chocolate shop, which were damaged in the aftermath of the explosion.
So far, authorities are ruling out any kind of foul play, and believe that the explosion happened as a result of freezing temperatures. According to the Associate Press , authorities believe that because temperatures got to around 14 degrees Fahrenheit, the below-freezing air may have caused the acrylic-glass dome to crack, which would’ve resulted in a burst.
Berlin’s Mayor Likened The Resulting Damage To The Aftermath Of A Tsunami.
Mayor Franziska Giffey stated that the burst tank unleashed a “veritable tsunami” onto the lobby and surrounding area. Thankfully, while tons of damage had been done, very few people got caught up in it. Reports state that two people were injured, but there were no human casualties.
“Despite all the destruction, we were still very lucky,” Mayor Giffey said. “We would have had terrible human damage.” Because the burst happened so early in the morning, few people were in the area. If it had happened any later, human injuries could’ve been far greater.
Unfortunately, Hundreds Of Fish Died As A Result.
The aquarium was home to at least 1,500 fish, including dozens of unique species. The clownfish and blue tang, two tropical species popularized by the film Finding Nemo were among those sightseers could find in the AquaDom.
Authorities attempted to save the fish, but according to Mayor Giffey, none of them were able to survive. 400-500 fish from smaller aquariums nearby were moved, but none of their environments experienced the same kind of damage.
Hotel Guests Were Among The First To Learn Of The News.
Guests who happened to be staying in the hotel at the time Tweeted photos and videos of the damage, according to the Washington Post . Among the confusion, the guests remained unharmed.