Demolition crews detonated explosives Sunday morning to bring down a section of the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis.
MPR News reports the demolition went off without a hitch, according to Mortenson Construction vice president John Wood. The explosives were used to bring down a concrete ring beam around the upper part of the structure, after part of it collapsed unexpectedly last week.
“It was a complete success. It is laying on the ground,” Wood told MPR News. “That was mission accomplished… It went exactly as planned.”
Roads near the dome were blocked off at 5:30 a.m., and barricades were set up to create a 250-foot safety zone around the dome, WCCO reports.
At 7:30 a.m., crew members detonated the explosives, and a few seconds later the concrete sections came tumbling down.
Several spectators came to the site to watch the action.
“It was an awesome experience,” Mel Miketic told WCCO. “It came down with a huge thud. There was lots of dust and smoke everywhere. … End of an era and changing times for downtown Minneapolis.”
It’s the second time demolition crews have used explosives on the Metrodome, MPR reports. On Feb 2, they used explosives to take out the cables that held up the roof.
The Dome is being demolished to make way for the new $975 million Vikings stadium, which is being erected on the same site. The timeline calls for the Metrodome to be gone in April so construction of the new stadium can begin in the spring.
The Vikings plan to play two seasons at the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium until their new home is ready in late in the summer of 2016, according to the Pioneer Press.
Here’s video of the demolition, courtesy of MPR News:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgbWci_LURw
