Almost one year ago, in August 2018, the Morandi bridge near the Italian city of Genoa collapsed, killing 43 people in the process. As the region still tries to come to terms with the tragedy, authorities brought down the surviving sections of the bridge this week.
A video which surfaced online – also available at the bottom of this page – shows how the controlled destruction of the bridge took place in under ten seconds on Friday, June 28: huge plumes of smoke and debris rise up the length of the bridge, and the construction starts buckling in the middle and then comes crashing down with a roar. When it’s all done, those witnessing the detonation – around 3,400 people according to Euronews- start applauding.
According to the source, 550 kg of explosives were needed to take down the remnants of the construction. While it came crashing down, cannons were used to shoot water over it to prevent the spread of dust.
The story of the decades-old Genoa bridge ended de facto last year when a portion of it, which is part of the larger A10 motorway, collapsed during a heavy storm. The 200 meters (656 feet) section was suspended at an estimated 100 meters (328 feet) above the buildings and road intersecting it below.
When it came down, it took with it a great number of cars that happened to be crossing it at that very moment.
Genoa Morandi was built back in the 1960s and had been re-enforced in 2016. The consolidation was apparently not good enough as a storm in the area was enough to cause a structural failure. It’s unclear at this point if anyone will pay for the lives lost and damages caused by the tragedy.
The place of the now gone bridge will be taken by a new construction, but no deadline for its completion was announced.
Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile
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