Explosives Used in Mexico City Quake Cleanup

In the first move in an effort to speed the clearing of earthquake-damaged buildings from central Mexico City, private U.S. demolition experts used 140 pounds of explosives Saturday to bring down a teetering 12-story apartment house.

The spectacular demolition ended what apparently was an intense debate within the Mexican government over whether to use explosives in its cleanup operations.

In recent weeks, relatives of victims had protested that explosives might destroy bodies trapped in the debris. And residents in undamaged neighborhoods feared that the blasts would affect their homes. Politicians fretted that demolition jobs in economically depressed Mexico were being lost to American technology.

All the concerns seemed to vanish Saturday in a cloud of dust that followed the blast-induced collapse of the apartments at the Multifamiliar Juarez complex.

240 Explosive Charges

Rapid-fire detonations of 240 charges of an explosive gel placed in key support columns brought the structure down on top of itself. The brick-and-concrete building was reduced to an 11,000-ton heap of rubble in 7 1/2 seconds.

Officials from the Mexico City government, the Mexican army, police and engineers applauded the feat. It was the first such explosive demolition ever to take place in Mexico, authorities said.

“Maybe tomorrow we’ll sell tickets,” said Douglas Loizeaux, vice president of Controlled Demolition Inc., a Maryland-based company that directed the operation.

The building was selected to demonstrate controlled demolition aimed at assuaging several concerns of the Mexican government. The apartment structure was free-standing, making damage to neighboring structures unlikely. No victims’ bodies had been found in the building. Neighboring sites where the bodies of victims had been trapped were already excavated and cleared.

Cleanup Speeded

According to Western diplomats viewing the demolition, controversy had erupted recently over whether Mexico, with surplus labor available, should turn any demolition duties over to high-tech Americans. But last week, President Miguel de la Madrid ordered a speedup in clearing of the earthquake-damaged areas, with the result that Controlled Demolition was given the go-ahead after several false starts.

It was not clear how much Controlled Demolition would be paid for its work or how many damaged buildings would be demolished with explosives.

Government engineer Mauricio Casas said that 20 buildings have been approved for such demolition. Like Saturday’s demonstration at the Multifamiliar Jaurez apartments, the buildings on the list are all standing but damaged beyond repair.

Three other apartment buildings in the Multifamiliar Juarez complex are scheduled to be demolished today.

Many of the damaged buildings in Mexico City cannot properly be demolished with explosives. Some are too small or abut on sound buildings that could be harmed in the process.

Wrecking Ball for Some

Elsewhere in the city, several large buildings are being demolished by wrecking ball and dismantled by workers using picks and sledgehammers.

One of three remaining 20-story towers at the Pino Suarez government law and courts complex is being taken apart floor by floor, which could take months. The Pino Suarez tower is leaning at a sharp angle over the street.

Debris from some buildings has been cleared away, and in their place, instant parks have sprung up as city workers planted sod and flowers on the newly vacant lots.

Many damaged buildings, however, are virtually untouched by wrecking crews. On Reforma Boulevard, the collapsed top floors of the Continental Hotel still hang precariously over adjoining structures, a condition duplicated on several streets in and around downtown Mexico City.