WATCH | Moment when 450-metre-long German motorway bridge came crashing down
A45 Rahmedetal motorway bridge
A 450-metre-long motorway bridge in western Germany was successfully demolished on Sunday, 7 May.
In recent years, there have been concerns about the safety of the A45 Rahmedetal motorway bridge.
The bridge had been shut down to traffic since 2 December 2021, which is about 17 months, due to cracks and damages in it.
The bridge was shut down over safety concerns.
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The Rahmede Valley Bridge was 453 metre long, 70 meters high, and weighed 17,000 tonnes. On demolition day, it collapsed into a drop bed just in a matter of seconds.
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About 150 kilograms of explosives were used at the blast site in Lüdenscheid, North Rhine-Westphalia. Built between 1965 and 1968, the motorway bridge that is now demolished spanned over Rahmede Valley.
Crowds gathered to see the German highway bridge being destroyed on the day of the demolition.
The demolition of the Rahmede Bridge is an important step in ensuring the safety of the communities it serves.
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The incident highlights the importance of regular maintenance and inspection of infrastructure to ensure its safety and integrity.
As many as 50 stacked containers were used to create a barrier to protect neighbouring buildings. Additional devices were also mounted on windows.
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By 10th June , all debris left over after the explosion is to be removed. Lüdenscheid ran the live broadcast of the demolition. The new bridge should take five years to build, according to reports.
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