By Annabelle Tukia
Hundreds of onlookers cheered today as one of Christchurch’s tallest buildings was reduced to rubble.
Sixty kilograms of explosives brought down Radio Network House in New Zealand's first-ever structural implosion.
The demolition experts promised they'd have the building down in 7.7 seconds and just after dawn this morning they made good on that promise.
Hundreds had gathered around the cordon to watch the implosion, and they knew it was coming, they just didn't know when. But when it did they were left impressed.
The view from the cameras 3 News had filming both inside and within metres of the building was just as impressive.
For six-year-old cancer patient Jayden Halliwell, who was tasked with pushing the button that triggered the explosions, it was a case of job well done.
As the dust settled, the building’s owner, Bill Hedges, couldn't believe the property he had owned for 12 years had been destroyed in seconds.
“It was quick, wasn't it?” he says. “It’s sad though. It’s really sad to see that building come down but it had to come down.”
For the men tasked with bringing it down, the building reacted just as they expected.
“We're glad it turned out how it was,” says Bill Johnson of Ceres Environmental. “The building fell in the direction we were hoping it would go. There was dust but it seemed to dissipate very quickly, so a good text book case.”
It was a text book case that was no doubt watched closely by other owners of damaged high-rises around Christchurch.
3 News