In central Berlin, the AquaDom, the world’s largest cylindrical aquarium, once stood inside the Radisson Blu lobby. A catastrophic failure struck in the early hours of December 16, with German media citing the local police press service to report that the 16-meter structure exploded, sending debris into the street and damaging the building facade.
Initial emergency messages suggested a leak caused by damage, but subsequent assessments confirmed the aquarium had been obliterated as water and tropical inhabitants flooded the surrounding area. Der Spiegel observed a loud blast at the moment of impact, followed by a flood that overwhelmed Karl-Liebknecht-Straße, the avenue that serves the DomAquaree complex.
One witness recalled that the hotel’s aquarium exploded at midnight, raising questions about the incident. Approximately 1 million liters of water flowed out, forcing the closure of the area while the DomAquaree complex faced flood damage.
Losses and destruction
Where the AquaDom once housed around 1500 tropical fish representing roughly 100 species, many perished. Emergency personnel evacuated about 350 people, including hotel guests and visitors, with two individuals sustaining injuries.
Berlin police confirmed that in addition to the loss of marine life, two people were hurt by shard damage. Rescue teams numbered roughly 100 personnel at the scene, and search dogs were deployed to inspect the first floor. A hotel spokesperson later stated that no visitors were harmed and that the hotel would remain closed while authorities pursue their investigation. Guests were relocated as the inquiry continued.
City officials arrived to assess the scene. Berlin mayor Franziska Giffey remarked that the blast resembled a tsunami in scale, expressing relief that the event occurred in the early hours when far fewer people were present in the lobby and on the streets.
Federal MP Sandra Wieser, who had been staying at the hotel, described the aftermath as war-zone-like, noting dead fish and debris along the sidewalk. Rescue teams redoubled efforts to salvage surviving fish, with Berlin Zoo offering to take in any salvaged aquatic life.
Why did the aquarium explode?
Fire department representatives indicated that a fault in the structure could trigger a sudden explosion. The AquaDom was designed by Sergey Tchoban, a Russian-born German architect who has contributed to major projects in Moscow. In an interview, Tchoban expressed uncertainty about the exact cause while conveying sorrow for the fish and noting that the hotel had operated successfully for two decades. The context suggested that the museum-like water feature, together with its height and weight, contributed to the scale of the disaster.
The AquaDom opened in 2003. Its construction cost was about 12.8 million euros, the cylinder stood 16 meters tall with an 11.5-meter diameter, and the entire structure weighed around 2000 tons. The aquarium featured an artificial coral reef and even included a glass elevator that carried visitors with a 360-degree view.
A similar cylindrical aquarium exists in the Moscow Aviapark, described as the world’s longest of its kind. Moscow’s installation rises 23 meters, has a 6-meter diameter, and holds 370,000 liters of seawater with around 2,500 fish. It underwent an overhaul in 2020.
As authorities investigated the incident, questions about maintenance, design, and safety protocols remained at the forefront. The event underscored the vulnerabilities of large-scale public aquariums and highlighted the necessity of rigorous structural monitoring to prevent similar calamities in urban centers. [Source attribution: Berlin authorities]