demolish high rise tower city centre

[tali1]

is it impossible to demolish a high rise tower that is situated in the heart of a city centre with lots of buildings in very close proximity?
does there have to be safe distance limit to avoid the debris?

[sddsddean]

Its not impossible and quite often done. Using explosives placed and detonated in the correct sequence it is possible to collapse a building into its own 'footprint'. Obviously a lot of work is done on protection of surrounding property from flying debris and usually local houses are evacuated, but usually the only problems are from the vast dust cloud.
Heres a good example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRZPPdf_sm0&mod e=related&search=

[kwicky]

Wasn't Fred Dibner around at the time?

[Teddio]

The eyesore in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne called Westgate House was demolished this year by Thomsons of Prudhoe without any noticeable interference to nearby buildings and traffic. It was demolished top-down.

[wildwood]

It is called an implosion.