PONTIAC, Mich. – A second partial implosion attempt at the Pontiac Silverdome was a success on Monday afternoon.
The second set of detonations were successful in collapsing the upper ring of the Silverdome.
The first series of scheduled detonations Sunday morning at the stadium were supposed to break the metal beams that support the upper ring of the stadium and a 20-foot steel band that supported the equipment that was used to keep the roof inflated.
Each vertical beam surrounding the Silverdome housed a small charge, which upon detonation were supposed to cause the beams to break and the steel ring to fall to the ground.
Officials said it failed the first time as the upper portion of the Silverdome remained standing, only showing some smoke and dust from the explosions. Contractors said a wire had been cut but didn't know how or why.
But Monday's second attempt was a clear success.
The demolition is ongoing.
More on the first implosion here.
History of the Pontiac Silverdome
The Pontiac Silverdome was the former home of the Detroit Lions (1975-2001), the Detroit Pistons (1978-1988) and the North American Soccer League's Detroit Express (1978-1980).
During its time in operation the venue also hosted the NCAA Cherry Bowl (1984-85), WrestleMania III (1987) and a Led Zepplin rock concert (1977).
The stadium also hosted a record crowd of nearly 93,000 in September 1987, when a mass was celebrated by Pope John Paul II.