Crowds gathered in Frankfort, Kentucky, on March 11 to watch the implosion of the landmark Capital Plaza Tower.

The 28-story, 338-foot building was the 12th tallest in the state. State financial administrators said the 48-year-old building had become “functionally obsolete”. The cabinet said they concluded demolition was the best option after a review of “costly maintenance issues” and “potential safety issues”.

The honor of pushing the plunger to detonate the building was auctioned, raising $15,000 for a charity helping foster children.

This drone footage shows the demolition, as crowds look on outside a 700-foot exclusion zone. Credit: Whitney Westerfield via Storyful