Rinsdorf bridge was blasted by German engineers - a new record is marked

The Rinsdorf viaduct on Germany's A45 autobahn near Wilnsdorf in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia was destroyed by demolition crews who used around 120 kilograms (265 pounds) of explosives on Sunday. The bridge was 70-meters-tall (230 feet) and spanned 500 meters (1,640 feet).

The Rinsdorf viaduct is the tallest bridge ever to be blasted by demolition experts.  This destruction marks a new record in Germany.

The 55-year-old structure came crashing down at 11 am local time (10 a.m. GMT). After demolition expert Michael Schneider gave the signal to detonate, the bridge's 16 pillars buckled and the road surface fell to the ground.

"It was a picture-book blast," said Schneider.

The collapse was orchestrated so that debris would land in a prepared bed causing no damage to the replacement bridge located right next to it. The new bridge was inaugurated in December 2021.

Dozens of onlookers watched on in awe as the dilapidated viaduct came crashing down.

More than 60 viaducts need total replacement or urgent works in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state, with currently 15 under construction or scheduled to be constructed this year.