After a series of warning horns, four rapid-fire detonations dropped four sections of the bridge into the water, followed by reverberating booms across the lake.
Crews established a 1,000-foot clear zone around the blast site. Kenlake State Resort Park, which overlooks the bridge on the Marshall County side, made the park amphitheater available for a capacity crowd of spectators, some of whom arrived before sunrise to watch the implosion.
Over the past month, a demolition crew removed the concrete deck from the 83-year-old bridge. A specialized crew placed explosives to bring down four truss spans and the main river crossing spans.
Two shorter spans at each end of the structure will be lifted and removed by cranes at a later date.
Divers and cranes immediately began work to get the fallen steel out of the river within 24 hours, as required by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Tow boat navigation has been stopped until they complete that work, but pleasure boat traffic under the still-standing approach spans resumed after they were inspected.
On the Net:
Video of Bridge Demolition, courtesy Anna Walla
