A massive aquarium that held thousands of tropical fish has erupted inside a hotel in Berlin, Germany.

On Friday, December 16, a giant aquarium containing a million liters of water in the lobby of the Radisson Blu exploded and caused destruction in the hotel and nearby streets.

The AquaDom - home to 1,500 tropical fish of over 100 different species - is 14m high and was described as the largest free-standing cylindrical fish tank in the world, per BBC news.

As reported by the Metro, visitors stated that they heard a loud noise similar to a thunderclap and initially thought that a bomb had detonated as glass and debris were sent across the lobby.

Check out the damage below:

The attraction - which was opened in December 2003 - is operated by SeaLife, which runs venues at locations internationally. The aquarium had more than 100 different species of fish.

On its website on Friday, SeaLife wrote that the fish tank - which also has the Guinness World Record for being the world's largest cylindrical aquarium - was temporarily closed and asked visitors to reschedule their tickets.

Footage of the incident shows extensive damage to the aquarium with debris scattered all around, as well as huge amounts of damage in the hotel's foyer - which has also led to guests being moved out of the hotel.

According to Berlin Police, at least two people have been injured in the incident that caused "incredible maritime damage," per DW News.

A spokesperson for the Berlin fire brigade revealed that emergency responders had been unable to access the ground floor of the building due to the debris on the floor. In addition to this, they added that rescue dogs were being sent to the scene, per Metro.

According to Daily Mail, there is speculation that recent freezing temperatures contributed to the leak, but authorities have said the reason for the incident was still being investigated.

The aquarium - which was last modernized in 2020 - is a major tourist attraction in Berlin. The 10-minute elevator ride through the center of the cylindrical tank was the most renowned part of the hotel.

The AquaDom before the incident. Credit: Agencja Fotograficzna Caro / Alamy

Due to the terrible incident, around 350 people who had been staying at the hotel were asked to pack their belongings and leave the building.

However, as temperatures in Berlin are around -7 degrees, buses were sent to the resort to provide shelter for guests leaving the hotel, per Daily Mail.

Furthermore, emergency services shut down a road next to the building that leads from Alexanderplatz toward the Brandenburg Gate due to the immense volume of water that had surged out of the building.

Featured image credit: Art Kowalsky / Alamy

A gigantic aquarium that held thousands of tropical fish exploded inside a hotel in Germany, causing enormous amounts of damage.

On December 16, 2o22, a massive aquarium named AquaDom exploded and caused destruction in the lobby of the Radisson Blu in Berlin.

The shattering of the tank - which contained a million liters of water and is home to 1,500 tropical fish of over 100 different species - caused a flood to surge through the reception, cut off electricity, and even made its way to the nearby streets.

When visitors first heard a clamorous noise similar to a thunderclap, they initially thought that a bomb had exploded as glass and debris were sent across the hotel entrance, according to Metro.

Check out the damage below:

The attraction opened in December 2003 and was operated by SeaLife, which runs venues at locations internationally. The aquarium was 14m high and was last modernized in 2020.

Per BBC News, it was described as the largest free-standing cylindrical fish tank in the world and was a major tourist attraction in the city as the 10-minute elevator ride through the center was the most prominent part of the hotel.

SeaLife wrote on the website that Aquadom - which also has the Guinness World Record for being the world's largest cylindrical aquarium - was temporarily closed and asked visitors to reschedule their tickets.

Videos of the incident were shared on social media at the time and revealed the devastating results of the eruption, with remnants scattered all around, as well as huge amounts of damage in the hotel's foyer - which also led to guests being moved out of the hotel.

The Berlin Police revealed that at least two people were injured in the shocking incident that caused "incredible maritime damage," as reported by DW News.

In addition to this, a spokesperson for the fire brigade disclosed that emergency responders had been unable to access the ground floor of the building due to the debris on the floor. They added that rescue dogs had been sent to the scene, per Metro.

The aftermath of the Aquadom burst. Credit: Adam Berry / Getty

There was no confirmation on what caused the leak, but The Daily Mail suspects that it was because of the freezing winter temperatures at that time.

The investigation was officially closed by prosecutors on October 24, 2023, after an expert report failed to determine its conclusive cause.

However, due to the unexpected incident, around 350 people who had been staying at the hotel were asked to pack their belongings and leave the building. Buses were sent to the hotel to pick up them and take them to another resort, as stated by the outlet.

Emergency services also shut down a road next to the building that leads from Alexanderplatz toward the Brandenburg Gate due to the massive volume of water that had poured out of the hotel.

Featured image credit: Adam Berry / Getty

Dramatic footage has emerged showing a devastating fire tearing through a newly constructed water park in Gothenburg, Sweden, sending thick plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

The inferno, captured on video, depicts the unfolding chaos as towering flames engulfed the water park's slides and facilities, with firefighters scrambling to contain the blaze.

Police have reported that the fire, which broke out at the outdoor water slides and rapidly spread, resulted in the hospitalization of twelve individuals for minor injuries, while one person remains unaccounted for, BBC News reports.

The water park, an eagerly anticipated addition to Gothenburg's renowned Liseberg Amusement Park, was on the brink of opening its doors to the public later this year, promising thrills and excitement for visitors of all ages.

The missing individual - whose identity has not yet been made public - had been working in construction activities at the site, Sky News reports.

In a somber statement, Liseberg expressed shock and devastation at the catastrophic event, revealing that the fire originated at one of the water rides before swiftly engulfing the entire building in its relentless path of destruction. "The fire started at one of the water rides outside the building and then spread to the entire building," part of the statement read.

As authorities and emergency responders grapple with the aftermath of the blaze, questions loom regarding the cause of the fire, with police and fire officials launching investigations to unravel the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.

The chaotic scene prompted the evacuation of a nearby hotel and office buildings, with residents urged to shelter indoors as thick smoke blanketed the area, further complicating rescue efforts.

Over on X (formerly Twitter), one person wrote: "This is heartbreaking news coming from my favorite amusement park in Europe. I'm thinking of everyone at Liseberg right now. This is not fair. I'm devastated."

Our thoughts go out to anybody impacted by this incident.

Featured image credit: X (Screenshot)

Footage has surfaced on social media showing the moment a dolphin attacked its trainer during a show at the Miami Seaquarium.

As reported by the New York Post, a marine trainer had to be taken to hospital after a dolphin by the name of Sundance "broke away from routine" during a live show and started ramming the worker.

Footage of the incident was captured by audience member and photographer Shannon Carpenter.

Carpenter later said, per the New York Post: "One trainer that was furthest away from the video either kept getting hit by the dolphin or pulled down by the dolphin."

He added: "The kids were cheering and thinking this was neat... You could tell the adults knew something was wrong."

CBS News reports that the scary incident occurred last Saturday during the park's Flipper Dolphin Show. Following Seaquarium's investigation into the show, officials learned that the trainer accidentally scratched Sundance with her hand, causing the dolphin to start ramming her.

After the trainer was able to make it out of the water, she was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, but did not suffer any serious injuries.

It happened Saturday in front of a crowd during a performance of the Flipper Dolphin Show. A cell phone video shows the trainer struggling to stay afloat as the dolphin, Sundance, dragged her underwater and then pushed her forward.

A dolphin performing at Miami Seaquarium. Credit: Arev Hambardzumyan / Alamy

Per Local10 News Miami Seaquarium released the following statement regarding the incident: "A dolphin and trainer accidentally collided in the water on Saturday while performing a routine behavior as part of the Flipper Show.

"This was an uncomfortable interaction for both of them and the dolphin reacted by breaking away from the routine and striking the trainer.

"As a precaution, Miami-Dade County safety authorities were contacted. Our family extends to include the animals in our care, our team members and our guests. While there is no apparent serious injury, a careful watch and follow-up evaluations will ensure the best care for all."

However, PETA has slammed the park following the distressing occurrence. In a statement, the animal welfare group said that "time is up at Miami Seaquarium", and accused the park of housing "long-suffering dolphins" and employing workers who are "at risk".

"PETA urges this abusement park to end its exploitation of dolphins by getting them into sanctuaries as quickly as possible, where they’d never be used in tawdry shows again and no-one else will get hurt," PETA officials added.

Insider reports that this incident comes after Miami Seaquarium was cited for numerous animal welfare violations in a 17-page report by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in June, 2021.

Featured image credit: Paul Hennessy / Alamy

While most of us are being encouraged or legally required to stay in our homes, some penguins have been taken out of their enclosure for a day tour of the aquarium. Staff at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, which has closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, even gave the penguins a chance to say hello to some beluga whales.

Check out this adorable footage of one of the penguins meeting a beluga whale:

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"Wellington, meet the belugas! Spouting whale Penguin This weekend, Wellington visited Kayavak, Mauyak and baby Annik, who were very curious about this little rockhopper. Belugas are northern hemisphere animals, so they would likely never see a penguin!" the aquarium wrote in the caption for the post earlier this week.

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In another post the aquarium wrote about the tour, it said:

"Time for a polar field trip! Penguins Tilly and near-yearling Carmen came face to face with beluga Kayavak. Not all penguins live in super cold regions. Magellanic penguins like Tilly and Carmen are temperate-weather birds."

Needless to say, people couldn't get enough of the interspecies meeting.

"I love how the belugas take turns seeing the penguins, like any well-mannered zoo/aquarium visitor does," one person wrote. "They get a good look then move away so someone else can see. I love belugas so much. Please tell them I said hello from North Carolina."

[[imagecaption|| Credit: Twitter / @AdorakableWriter]]

"Oh Shedd ..I am a first time visitor and I am in love with your virtual display. Thank you for sharing during this Covid situation. Stay healthy," another grateful user wrote.

[[imagecaption|| Credit: Twitter / @AMarieMc06566385]]

"I’m a little bummed that the penguins won’t have as many field trips after social-distancing ends," a different user shared. "I hope aquariums consider having live-steam penguin days in the future! I’d make a donation towards that event!!"

[[imagecaption|| Credit: Twitter / @idonthaveaharp]]

Shedd Aquarium has since replied to the above user by explaining that "these field trips are nothing new for the penguins at Shedd."

It added, "they are familiar with many parts of the aquarium, we just haven't share them publicly before. Field trips like this will continue in the future for the penguins."

[[imagecaption|| Credit: Twitter / Shedd Aquarium]]

An aquarium has let its penguins explore and visit other animals after closing to humans.

Staff at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago decided to make the best of a bad situation for its animals after closing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which was recently declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

In a tweet, the aquarium announced its closure, writing: "As part of preventative measures to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Shedd Aquarium will be temporarily closed for the next two weeks."

This was shortly followed by a video revealing that while no humans would be having fun at the aquarium for the next two weeks, at least, its penguins were being given the opportunity to explore its empty walkways and meet other animals.

Watch them exploring below: 

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The video above was captioned: "Penguins in the Amazon?! Some of the penguins went on a field trip to meet other animals at Shedd. Wellington seemed most interested in the fishes in Amazon Rising! The black-barred silver dollars also seemed interested in their unusual visitor."

This video was then followed by another update about the penguins' activities in the empty aquarium.

It read: "The adventure continues! This morning, Edward and Annie explored Shedd's rotunda. They are a bonded pair of rockhopper penguins, which means they are together for nesting season. Springtime is nesting season for penguins at Shedd, and this year is no different!"

Watch Edward and Annie below: 

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The zoo then explained that Edward and Anne will begin to build their nests next week, and even though it is closed, people can still keep up with their activities thanks to the internet.

"Penguins like Edward and Annie will begin to build their nests next week," the zoo wrote. "Join us digitally for nesting coverage! In the meantime, we will be sharing lots of different animal updates (and yes, Wellington will return!)"

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While life, for many, has been turned upside down because of the coronavirus, the zoo explained that for the animals, at least, there was a sense of normality at the zoo.

The zoo wrote: "While this may be a strange time for us, these days feel normal for animals at Shedd. Our caregivers are constantly providing new experiences for the animals to explore and express their natural behaviors with. Let us know what penguin activities you would like to see!"

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The news comes as the World Health Organisation's most recent report revealed that there have been a total of 167, 511 confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally, and 6,606 deaths.