What does it take to drop a massive bridge safely, cleanly, and exactly the way you planned it?

In this episode of Pyro Talk, I’m joined by Ryan Olson and Shannon North from Veit USA for a behind-the-scenes conversation on the explosive demolition of the Black Hawk Bridge in Lansing. We break down what goes into a successful bridge blast—from planning, engineering, and timing, to coordination with agencies, safety zones, and the real-world pressure of getting it right on the first try.

We also dive into the explosive demolition industry as a whole, including how crews approach different structures, what the public doesn’t see on demo day, and why the best demolition work isn’t about the biggest boom—it’s about precision over power.

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