Watch an Old Illinois Bridge Explode into Flames (on Purpose)

When I first saw that an old Illinois bridge had exploded into a cloud of flames, I was alarmed. Now, I know there is a method to the madness as a video shared by the Illinois Department of Transportation proves.

The bridge in question is the McClugage Bridge which is U.S. Route 150 over Upper Peoria Lake and Peoria Lake in the Illinois River. Wikipedia says the original span was opened way back in 1948 then it was renovated and reopened in 1982. Now, this old bridge is one of 8 marked for demolition by the Illinois Department of Transportation. This week, it met it's explosive fate as their video shows the moment it went "boom".

There's another angle shared by the Illinois Department of Transportation on Flickr.

This is why there have been closures on Route 150 leading up to this planned demolition. You can expect quite a few more spectacular video shows shared by the Illinois Department of Transportation as they continue to take down these old spans. Just make sure you're not on any of them when the big boom happens.