Joshua Parfitt
EUROPE’S largest aquarium with 45,000 animals has been evacuated after a fire broke out at the Oceanografic de Valencia.
The blaze reportedly started at 10.30am today when 1,400 people were inside.
No animals were evacuated, as the blaze reportedly took place at the entrance to the Oceans hall
Tom Parker, 38, on holiday in the city with his family, said the fire was ‘pretty bad’.
“We started to queue and looked up and saw massive plumes of black smoke and then the fire,” he told the Mirror Online.
“There was a strong smell of plastic in the air.”
“But the evacuation was calm, the authorities handled things well.”
The fire was reportedly extinguished within 20 minutes.
One of the workers told Las Provincias: “We are waiting for what the police say, and when they can assure of us of security, we will enter.
“They asked for calm, especially for the children who were inside. We are very happy, even surprised, about how well the operation was carried out.”
Sources from the Oceanografic have said that no animals were harmed.
