Overview
- The Talbrücke Ottfingen, which was detonated on Sunday, July 19, did not fully collapse after the first scheduled 8:00 a.m. blast when four supports remained standing.
- Specialist teams had prepared the demolition with about 160 kilograms of explosives placed in 530 drilled holes and roughly 900 metres of detonation cord before carrying out a successful follow‑up detonation around midday.
- Authorities closed the A45 between the Olpe‑Süd and Freudenberg junctions from 06:00 for safety and the unplanned second blast prolonged the closure, causing delays for summer holiday traffic while checks continued.
- Autobahn GmbH and the demolition chief have opened a review to find why the initial charges left supports intact and engineers are conducting inspections of the neighbouring carriageway before reopening the road.
- The operation clears space for a planned replacement as part of the multi‑year Sauerlandline program to renew about 60 ageing major bridges that face greater stress from higher traffic and heavier lorries.