JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA JULY 18, 1982 ( REUTERS - LOUIS BREYTENBACH)
GV Spectators on surrounding buildings. (2 SHOTS) 0.05
SV Wrecker's sign. 0.07
SVs More spectators. (5 SHOTS) 0.19
SV PULL BACK TO GV Building collapsing inwards. 0.44
GV PAN Cloud of dust. 1.00
SV & GV Spectators look on at demolished building. (2 SHOTS) 1.11
SV PULLED BACK TO GV PAN Spectators and rubble. 0.18
SV PAN & GV More rubble, more spectators. (2 SHOTS) 1.26



InitialsPW/JRS Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Part of an entire office block in the centre of Johannesburg was spectacularly demolished on July 18 by implosion. Spectators crowded onto surrounding buildings to view the spectacle. The demolition target, decked with a wrecker's sign, consisted of two office buildings. The exercise was the second and final phase of a demolition programme which began with the earlier destruction of two other office buildings in same complex. With the controlled use of small amounts of explosives, the structures gradually collapsed inwards. As spectators applauded, the two ten storey buildings took a ponderous sixteen seconds or so to subside into a huge cloud of dust. As the dust slowly cleared the demolition area could be seen to be remarkably well contained.