At 0800 this day, New Zealand was to witness it's first ever building implosion. I'm not one for destruction but this, I felt, was worthy of recording. Yet another of the city's buildings to go - on this occasion in dramatic fashion.
On the Saturday I rigged up my tripod to securely sit atop my 2 metre ladder. Despite the media reports warning the local populace not to go into the city to view - rather watch it on TV later - a real Tui 'Yeah Right' moment. Thousands converged into Latimer Square for the spectacle. And Chris and I were there - and most of my photographic friends too. The camera set up on top of the rig with me perched way up there too. A few test shots to check the exposure etc and all was ready. No doubt we would hear a warning siren for such a dangerous mission. Alas at the appointed moment a faint dribble of sound drifted across the park, unheard by the majority of spectators (much like the new tsunami warning sirens recently installed along the coastline).
The initial explosion was frightening to say the least - almost every orifice relaxed instantly! Deafening it certainly was. The adrenaline surge was instant. I managed to fine the shutter button and hung on as the building shook, windows blew out, and after a few seconds it sagged and began its swift journey to the ground.
We cried.
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