The 16-meter high Aquadom aquarium in Berlin’s Radisson Collection Hotel exploded on Friday morning. A million gallons of salt water seeped through the foyer into the street. Around 1500 exotic fish died.
The accident evokes special memories for Blick reporter Viktor Dammann (72): in 2003, even before the opening of the hotel, he reported on the sensational glass cylinder. The then director Werner Knechtli († 72) received him in the still unfinished hotel. For Blick, the Swiss hotelier legend dived into his mega aquarium.
Hotel manager appeared in shirt and bow tie
Dammann remembers the Aargauer well: “He almost burst with pride.” He kept his shirt and bow tie on under his diving suit.
The reporter was also allowed to climb into the water tower at the time. “It was actually gigantic,” says Dammann. “At the same time, the idea that something could happen was a bit oppressive. I imagined the enormous forces to which the special glass was subjected.”
Knechtli said at the time that the Aquadom was “the largest aquarium in the world” of its kind. 50 tons of salt were dissolved in it.
The fish would be fed by trained divers, explains Knechtli. Their job is also to clean the mega aquarium. After his dive, Knechtli said enthusiastically that he would have preferred “not to have appeared at all”.
Disaster despite renovation
Knechtli died in August in Brissago TI after a serious illness. The Aquadom only reopened in the summer after a renovation of two and a half years. During the renovation, silicone seals were renewed and the entire container was cleaned at high cost. Costs: more than 2.5 million francs.
Why the glass cylinder burst on Friday morning is unclear and is being investigated. However, the police rule out that it was an attack. Two people were injured by broken glass in the accident. The fact that it happened early in the morning and most hotel guests were still asleep probably prevented worse.