With a loud bang, a huge block of flats from the 1970s collapsed in Duisburg into a huge heap of rubble. The "white giant" high-rise was blown up according to plan with around 290 kilograms of explosives. A huge cloud of dust enveloped the neighboring houses.
FRIEDEMANN BIRD / EPA-EFE / REX
The "White Giant" during the blast
What remained were around 48,000 tons of rubble. The 22-storey house built in 1972 once had 320 apartments. For many years it was no longer inhabited.
The demolition is one of a series of measures with which the city wants to upgrade the district of Hochheide. Two more skyscrapers in the neighborhood are also to be demolished. A park is to be created on the site.