Colombia implodes remains of bridge that suffered deadly partial collapse

REUTERS - Colombia destroyed on Wednesday (July 11) the remains of a cable bridge that partially collapsed earlier this year. The Chirajara Bridge is located on the road that connects Bogota with the city of Villavicencio. Some 200 kilos (440 pounds) of explosives, 3,000 meters (approximately 9,800 feet) of detonating cord, 30 detonators were used in the implosion. Eleven experts supervised, reported the local group overseeing the work, Concesionaria Vial de Los Andes (Coriander). The event went smoothly according to one of the on-scene experts, Willian Valencia, the President of the Meta Society of Engineers. Authorities will announce a later date plans for the reconstruction of the bridge. The Chirajara bridge, which was under construction, collapsed on January 15 killing nine of the workmen. Ensuing investigations concluded that design failures cause the tragedy.