Massive hotel aquarium in Berlin with 1,500 fish explodes causing a devasting loss of tropical fish

December 17th, 2022

Massive aquariums have long been seen as an attractive element to be added to a hotel lobby or restaurant. However, using the fish in aquariums as accessories can have devastating effects. Many forget that these giant aquariums require upkeep just like any other fish tank, thus they shouldn't be bought with the idea that they may be neglected for extended periods of time. The major drawback of giant aquariums is that issues can arise quickly and can result in death before they can be resolved. This is because the fish reside in a small body of water, where changes in water chemistry and temperature can occur over the course of a few hours or, in some circumstances, just a few minutes. As a result, it is crucial to execute maintenance consistently and to carefully evaluate this regularly.

Recently, in the Radisson Blu in Berlin's lobby was inundated by water from a massive aquarium that ruptured and had contained a million litres of water. The "AquaDom" is 15.85m high (52 ft) and was said to be the largest free-standing circular aquarium in the world. It was home to 1,500 tropical fish. Here’s a detailed report of the tragedy.

Guests share their memories of the tragedy

After the explosion, glass that fell on two people caused injuries. Among those present in the hotel at the time, Paul Maletzki and his fiancée revealed that they were staying on the fourth floor when the event occurred in Berlin early on Friday. He recalled shaking and hearing a loud noise that awakened him up. He noticed water streaming across the lobby when he peered down into it. Later, armed police officers led them and other visitors out of the hotel. Franziska Giffey, the mayor of Berlin, visited the hotel to assess the damage and compared the tank explosion to a tsunami.

She expressed relief that it had occurred so early in the day, noting that if it had occurred an hour or so later, the lobby and the street outside would have been crowded with guests, many of whom would have been children.

Image Source: CNBC News

A devastating loss of tropical fish

Over a million litres of water and 1,500 tropical fish were present in the Berlin AquaDom. Police described the damage as being "amazing." Videos showed water flowing into the hotel lobby from an empty tank. The vast majority of the fish had died, according to a spokesman for Berlin's fire brigade, who also stated that the chilly weather had made rescue efforts more challenging. More than 100 distinct species were housed in the tank. James Klein, a fire brigade employee, later revealed to the local media that "a few dozen" fish had been discovered alive in areas where leftover water had accumulated. He claimed that they were moving into different aquariums.

Additionally, according to officials, efforts are being made to save another 400–500 fish who were trapped without oxygen in smaller tanks beneath the hotel lobby. Sandra Weeser, a member of the German federal parliament who was staying at the hotel, said she had been awakened by "a kind of shock wave" and that the scene outside the hotel was "a picture of desolation." She claimed that potentially salvageable fish had perished due to freezing, and she recalled seeing a "big parrotfish laying on the ground, frozen."

Image Source: The Wall Street Journal

The true cause of the break

The largest cylindrical aquarium in the world, AquaDom received the Guinness World Record after it debuted in December 2003. Its construction reportedly cost about €12.8 million (£11.2 million) at the time. Since the aquarium was updated two years ago, visitors were able to use a clear-walled lift inside. The hotel advertises that some of its rooms have views of it. According to a police source who spoke to the local media, there is no proof that the break was caused by a targeted attack.

More than 100 firefighters were dispatched to the location, according to Berlin's fire department, and the cause of the break was not immediately known. There has been conjecture that the tank may have cracked as a result of the frigid temperatures, which overnight reached as low as -6C.

Image source: ABC News

Street impact of the explosion

As a result of the incident, guests were escorted from the hotel around 05:50. (04:50 GMT). The fire department claimed to have utilised rescue dogs to search the hotel's interior for any potential victims, but no one was discovered. The Karl-Liebknecht street outside the hotel has been blocked, according to Berlin's public transportation administration, because to "an extremely high amount of water on the road." The area's tram service was also suspended. Police warned locals to drive carefully as "huge amounts" of water were gushing into the streets nearby.