What happened to 'Don't ever burn your bridges'?
Blowing the bridge: Stunning video of condemned span which collapses in six seconds after being blown up by 153lb of explosives
These amazing pictures show the stunning demolition of a bridge across the Ohio River.
The Fort Steuben Bridge had stood for 83 years, but it came down in just six seconds yesterday morning after 153lb of explosives were applied along its 500-yard span.
A stretch of the river was then closed for 24 hours as cleanup crews removed the debris of the bridge.
Boom: The Fort Steuben Bridge stood for 83 years but collapsed in just six seconds yesterday morning
Collapse: The demolition involved 153lb of explosives placed along the bridge's span of 500 yards
The suspension bridge opened in 1929 and linked the towns of Steubenville, Ohio and Weirton, West Virginia.
It was originally a privately owned toll bridge, but in the 1950s it was taken over by the state and became a public highway.
However, over the last few years the age and narrowness of the Fort Steuben Bridge saw it decline in importance, and in 2009 it was closed to traffic.
According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, the joints of the bridge were failing and would have deteriorated further, making it impossible to save the bridge.
The beginning: The explosives were detonated in 20 separate blasts, each lasting 0.35 seconds
Mid-explosion: Around 200 people gathered in Steubenville to watch the spectacle in an old parking lot
Yesterday's demolition was the culmination of the efforts to demolish the bridge instead, and came after the connection of the bridge with the mainland had already been destroyed.
Explosives were mounted in 136 locations along the bridge, and set off in a series of 20 blasts at 7.15am.
The blasts lasted 0.35 seconds each, and were separated by just nine milliseconds, according to the Herald-Star.
The explosion was so quick that in a video made by officials, the sound of the detonation cannot be heard until after all the explosives are set off.
The end: After the demolition a stretch of the river was closed for 24 hours to remove debris
Around 200 local residents gathered in the parking lot of an old bowling alley to watch the explosion light up the morning sky.
Onlookers expressed a mixture of excitement at the spectacle, and regret about seeing the demise of a local landmark.
Herman Capito, of Weirton, told the Herald-Star he was nine years old when the bridge first opened, and he used it to get to work in Steubenville.
But others said the bridge's destruction was made up for by the unforgettable sight of its demolition.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...nds-blown-153lb-explosives.html#ixzz1nBiKpFUb
