VIDEO – Explosive blast apart redundant US bridge

The Donora-Webster Bridge over the Monongahela River in the US has been demolished using explosives. The ageing structure spanned the Monongahela River, connecting Washington and Westmoreland Counties in Pennsylvania. The bridge was built in 1908 and originally carried a rail link but in 1938 the tracks were removed and the structure was modified so that it could handle motor vehicle traffic instead. The Donora-Webster Bridge linked Route 837 on the west side of the Monongahela River with Route 906 on the east bank. The bridge was then closed to vehicle traffic in 2009 because the structural deficiencies had been identified by the local authorities. Despite being designated a historic bridge by the Washington County History & Landmarks Foundation, the Donora-Webster Bridge was earmarked for demolition. The contractor used close to 32.7kg of explosives placed at 387 separate points around the structure so as to break up its structural integrity, resulting in it crashing into the river below in a successfully controlled demolition.