Germany: The AquaDom, home to 1,500 tropical fish located in the Radisson Collection Hotel, Berlin, has burst flooding the property.
More than 100 fire fighters were called to the incident this morning, which injured two people according to the BBC. Guests staying at the hotel have been relocated.
At the time of writing, it remains unclear what caused the tank to break. The New York Times reports a suggested technical defect, whereas Sky News highlights speculation that freezing temperatures had contributed to the accident.
Berlin police described the incident as having led to “incredible maritime damage” with “massive amounts” of water and debris flooding nearby streets. Fish that survived have been moved to smaller aquariums, and local media sources have reported that Berlin Zoological Garden had offered to house the rescued fish.
Radisson said in a statement: “This morning at approximately 6am CET the aquarium of the AquaDom Berlin which is located in the Radisson Collection Hotel, Berlin collapsed. One guest and one team member have been injured. Both are currently being treated in the hospital. We offer our full support to the injured guest and our colleague and wish for a speedy recovery.
“Members of our leadership team are on site, and, together with the authorities, are looking into the cause of the incident. We have immediately closed the hotel until further notice and are relocating guests.
“We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to our team, the authorities and the emergency services for their on-site support. We express sincere apologies to our guests for the inconveniences that have been caused by the circumstances beyond our control.”
The AquaDom, which opened in 2003, is part of the SeaLife tourist attraction in Berlin. It holds 264,000 gallons of water and was given the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest cylindrical aquarium.
An elevator runs through the middle of the 38-feet wide tank, allowing visitors to view the marine life from inside.
Radisson Collection Hotel, Berlin, relaunched last summer after the property was repositioned from Radisson Blu.
