© Aamy
FILE PHOTO: The AquaDom lobby aquarium in the Radisson Blu hotel in central Berlin.
A giant aquarium containing a million liters of water and some 1,500 exotic fish burst in the German capital Berlin on Friday.
The AquaDom in the lobby of the Radisson Blu hotel was considered the largest free-standing cylindrical aquarium in the world.
The 14-meter-tall (46 feet) fish tank cost €12.8 million (around $13.6 million) to build. It was opened in 2003 and underwent modernization two years ago.
The police said the aquarium exploded early in the morning, creating a loud noise and flooding the lobby of the hotel, covering nearby streets with debris. Two people were injured by glass shards and taken to hospital, they added.
The incident also caused “incredible maritime damage” as the aquarium held around 100 species of tropical fish, according to the police.
Guests have been evacuated from the hotel, but one managed to film the massive damage caused to the building by the sudden release of water.
Around 100 firefighters were deployed to the scene, and the cause is currently being investigated.
The AquaDom operator, SeaLife, which own aquariums in many countries, said on its website that the attraction in Berlin is “unfortunately temporarily closed.” It asked visitors who had already bought tickets to reschedule.
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