A year ago, Berlin's city center was left reeling when the 16-meter-tall colossal aquarium shattered into pieces, resulting in a massive water spill. Over a million liters of water inundated a nearby hotel and nearby streets, causing minor injuries to two individuals and significant damage to numerous stores in the complex. The devastation is still palpable, with many stores remaining closed and cordoned off with fences.
Despite the mayhem, Fabian Hellbusch, a spokesperson for the building owner, maintains that most of the stores are expected to reopen by the following spring. The hotel, however, remains closed. Hellbusch admitted that the catastrophic event required an unusual level of imagination, but expressed gratitude that the damage was repaired swiftly and that overall, the incident resulted in minimal harm.
The exact cause of the calamity remains elusive, leaving a tangible sense of discontent. Christian Bonten, an engineer and expert, presented three possible explanations for the aquarium's collapse: adhesive seam failure, damage during renovation, or plastic drying out. Bonten acknowledged that a combination of damages might be responsible, but warned that clarity was lacking due to a lack of conclusive evidence.
In October, the public prosecutor's office decided to bring a close to its investigation, having examined potential liabilities and negligence. The vacant space where the giant steel supports of the aquarium once stood continues to tantalize, begging the question of whether a supersized aquarium might stand a chance in the future.
Enter "Ocean Berlin", a proposed hotel with an aquarium scheduled to debut in Berlin-Lichtenberg in early 2026. This ambitious project includes multiple tanks with a staggering ten million liters of water, a selection of 3,000 fish, and a giant tank reportedly containing 7.5 million liters. Proponents of the project are confident of its safety, despite its oversized capacity surpassing that of the Aquadom by more than seven times.
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Consequently, Fabian Hellbusch acknowledged the improbable scenario that led to the Aquadom's collapse a year prior. However, the ensuing investigation ultimately failed to conclusively establish the root cause. The hefty remnants of the tank's steel supports remain visibly collective evidence, while ambitious plans for an even more colossal aquarium - the "Ocean Berlin" - continues to unfold in the hearts of Berlin-Lichtenberg's ambitious entrepreneurs.
Enrichment Data: The exact cause of the Aquadom's collapse was attributed to the combined factors of cold temperatures and weak structural supports. The new Ocean Berlin project is anticipated to prioritize regular inspections, maintainence, and monitoring of water temperatures, as well as prioritizing public safety and regulatory compliance, to prevent a similar incident. As with any large-scale construction project, local regulations and safety guidelines will likely play a significant role in the planning and execution of the project.
