A huge aquarium in the centre of Berlin burst on Friday, causing a wave of devastation in and around the Sea Life tourist attraction, German police said.
Glass and other debris were swept out of the building, which also contains a hotel and cafes, as one million litres of water poured out of the 82 foot tall aquarium shortly before 6am German time. Berlin's fire service said two people were lightly injured and rescue dogs were being prepared to search the building for anyone who might be trapped under debris.
The attraction sat at the centre of the Radisson Blu DomAquaree hotel, part of the wider Sea Life attraction in the German capital. Around 1,600 fish were washed out into the streets of Berlin as the tank exploded, showering the hotel lobby with glass and decorations from inside the tank.
There was speculation that freezing temperatures of as low as -10C overnight had caused a crack in the tank, which then exploded under the weight of the water.
Police said the cause of the incident was still being investigated but there was no evidence that it was the result of an attack.
Witness Gwendolin Szyszkowitz told German news channel n-tv that she heard a loud bang and initially feared a bomb had exploded.
Operators say the aquarium has the biggest cylindrical tank in the world and contained 1,500-1,600 tropical fish of 80 different species before the incident.
The aquarium, which was last modernized in 2020, is a major tourist magnet in Berlin and had been the world's largest free-standing cylindrical aquarium.
The 10-minute elevator ride through the tank was one of the highlights of the attraction.
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