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A tank at a large aquarium in Berlin burst, causing glass, water and hundreds of tropical fish to overflow from a sea life tourist attraction in the center of the German capital.
Shortly before 6 a.m., a million liters (264,000 gallons) of water poured from the aquarium, sending a wave of debris out of the building, which also includes a hotel, cafe and a chocolate shop, police said.
Two people suffered minor injuries, the Berlin fire department said. They said rescue dogs were inside the building searching for anyone who might be trapped under the rubble.
The 25-meter-tall AquaDom is the largest cylindrical tank in the world and held more than 1,000 tropical fish before the incident, according to Sea Life’s operators. Among its 80 species of fish are blue tang fish and clownfish, species made famous in the popular animated film Finding Nemo.
“We haven’t been able to go all the way to the first floor, and the fish could be there,” said Fire Department spokesman Adrian Wentzel. “But the problem is that the water has completely leaked out and there’s about 1,400 fish in this aquarium to no avail.”
It is speculated that freezing temperatures as low as minus 10C at night caused the tank to crack and then explode under the weight of the water. Police said there was no evidence the incident was caused by an assault.
About 300 guests and employees had to be evacuated from hotels surrounding the aquarium, police said.
German MP Sandra Weiser, who was staying at the hotel, said she was woken up by a loud bang and thought there might be an earthquake.
“There were shards of (glass) everywhere. The furniture, everything was flooded,” she said. “It looks a bit like a war zone.”
The aquarium was last modernized in 2020 and is a major tourist attraction in Berlin. The 10-minute elevator ride through the Tropical Flume is one of the attractions’ highlights.
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