Metrodome demolition halted after fallen beam

(Image from the Vikings stadium webcam)

A chunk of the Metrodome dropped unexpectedly as demolition crews were tearing down the stadium Monday. Crews have been knocking out the wall panels just above ground level, then taking down the beam that rings the stop of the stadium, where the roof used to be anchored.

A chunk of that rim fell down unexpectedly. (You can see it missing on the left side of the stadium in the picture above.) Heres whatMortenson Construction vice president John Wood had to say about it:

Today [Monday] at approximately1:00 p.m.crews from demolition subcontractor Frattalone were demolishing a section of ring beam on the northeast section of the Metrodome when an adjacent section of ring beam came down out of sequence. No one was injured and no equipment was damaged. All debris fell within the specified safety zone for demolition activities.

All work on the site was immediately stopped as a result of the incident while engineers and demolition contractors investigate the site. Demolition work remains stopped at this time however foundation work on other areas of the site has resumed.

It isnt clear when demolition will resume. The schedule has the Metrodome completely demolished and removed by April.

Tim Nelson is a general assignment reporter for Minnesota Public Radio News, and a 20-year veteran of local news. Hes been covering the Vikings stadium issue since 2011.

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Metrodome demolition halted after fallen beam