Georgia Dome reduced to rubble after implosion
ATLANTA - The Georgia Dome, which stood proudly in Atlanta for more than 25 years, has been reduced to rubble after being imploded early Monday morning.
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Smoke quickly filled the sky in downtown Atlanta following the implosion, which took place just after 7:30 a.m. Monday.
Nearly 5,000 pounds of explosives were used to bring down the stadium that was once home to the Atlanta Falcons. The explosives detonated in about 12 seconds, and the stadium collapsed in 15 seconds.
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Officials said directly after the implosion they were pleased with how smoothly everything went.
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FOX 5 had news crews in various spots surrounding the dome, starting with Good Day Atlanta anchor Buck Lanford who led our team coverage from the rooftop of 101 Marietta Street.
FOX 5's Marc Teichner reported from outside Philips Arena, and Kaitlyn Pratt was along Ivan Allen Boulevard near a designated area for VIP watchers. Morse Diggs spoke with a number of onlookers as crowds gathered across the street from Philips Arena to watch the historic collapse.
Good Day Atlanta's Paul Milliken had one of the best views at Atlanta's famous Sun Dial restaurant, where people gathered for a special implosion viewing party.
FOX 5's Natalie Fultz also said goodbye to the dome from a front row seat.
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The Georgia Dome opened in 1992 and hosted a number of major sporting events, including the 1996 Olympics, two Super Bowls, three NCAA Final Fours, the Peach Bowl, SEC Championships in football and basketball as well as Georgia high school football championships.
MORE: Remembering the Georgia Dome
The Dome has been replaced by the $1.6 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which sits just 83 feet from the old stadium. A five-story high industrial strength curtain erected between the stadiums was designed to prevent damage to the new building during the implosion.
A number of streets in the immediate vicinity of the Georgia Dome were closed Monday morning as the dome came crashing down. Two MARTA stations close to the Georgia Dome were also shut down, but have since reopened.