Record Frankfurt blast

What is believed to be one of the largest explosive demolition projects ever carried out in Europe was successfully conducted on 2 February to bring down the 116 m (381 ft) tall AfE Tower, formerly occupied by Frankfurt University, in the centre of that Gerrman city.

According to reports 950 kg (2,090 lb) of explosive charges were set through the tower, built in 1972, for the blowdown, with large filled water tanks positioned inside the building to help control the resulting dust. The University moved out the tower in 2013 and the original intention was to demolish the tower from the top down. Local objections to the length of time required to carry this out and the noise and disruption the work would cause led to the change of plan.

A 250 m (820 ft) exclusion zone was established around the tower prior to the blast. Two new office blocks will be built once the site is cleared of the resulting debris. (Video courtesy of Marcel Schroeder of Richard Liesegang,)