"But it's a WATER park???": Netizens react as a clip of an explosion at Swedish water park goes viral

A water park in Gothenburg, Sweden was recently destroyed by a huge fire that engulfed the newly built structure. According to authorities, flames decimated several under-construction outdoor waterslides and related facilities on Monday, February 12, 2024.

As per BBC, one person is currently missing, who is likely to be trapped in the explosion, while twelve other people have been sent to hospital for minor injuries. Videos from various angles have gone viral as witnesses showed the slides, which were slated to open in the coming months.

The water park was scheduled to be a new addition to Gothenburg’s Liseberg Funfair. The establishment is one of the Nordic region’s biggest amusement parks, as per AP News. Netizens went on social media to express their bewilderment over a water park catching fire.

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Fire broke out at a water park under construction in Sweden

Massive flames were spotted ripping through several yet-to-be-opened waterslides at the Oceana waterpark in Goteborg. The whole incident filled a huge amount of black smoke over Sweden’s second-largest city. The waterslides included one ride with a drop of 43 feet.

Onlookers first began to record the sudden smoke coming out of the site that was under construction at the time. As per ABC News, the footages were filmed far from a safe distance and some from passing cars. The black mass soon turned red as big explosions rippled through the infrastructure, destroying the colorful rides.

A different angle showed the fire also spreading to the main building of the Oceana water park. According to AP News, at least three explosions sent debris from nearby structures, scattering over the burning waterslides. Many firefighting vehicles descended on the area as the accident broke out. As the water park is a new part of Gothenburg’s Liseberg Funfair, the organization sent out a statement saying:

"The fire started at one of the water rides outside the building and then spread to the entire building."

There were no new reports of any injuries, except the first 12 initially noted by the police and fire officials a few hours after the explosions. As per The New York Post, the spokeswoman for NCC group (the general contractor for the construction) spoke to the Swedish broadcaster SVT about the instance and possible reason for the fire. They stated that a subcontractor had been doing some installations when the blaze first began.

Netizens were quick to give their opinions about the explosions. Some of the reactions are given below:

The officials have not announced a definitive cause for the explosions as of yet. The fire department has urged those living in the vicinity to stay inside and to keep windows closed to protect against the fumes and thick black smoke, as per BBC.

Nearby hotel and office facilities have been evacuated, the water park and police said. So far, there has been no news about the identity of the missing person and their health. Subsequently, officials have also not reported any fatalities.

Oceana was originally scheduled to open this summer, as per BBC. Reports say it cost 1.2 billion kronor ($10.6 million) to build the park.