Metrodome demolition to resume by weeks end

Demolition of the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis is expected to resume within days.

The task of taking down the former home of the Minnesota Vikings football team was halted Monday afternoon when a portion of the building fell out of sequence, according to Mortenson Construction, which is the construction manager for the new stadium project.

Mortenson spokesman Cam Snyder said Tuesday that work may resume within the next day or two. Crews will definitely be back at it sometime this week, he added.

While crews were demolishing a ring beam section on the Metrodomes northeast side at about 1 p.m. Monday, an adjacent ring beam fell out of sequence, Mortenson senior vice president John Wood said in a statement Monday afternoon.

No one was injured and no equipment was damaged, and all debris fell within the specified safety zone, Wood added. Demolition activity was put on hold while engineers and demolition contractors investigated.

Foundation work on other areas of the project site had already resumed, Wood said Monday.

The Metrodome is being razed to make way for the new $975 million Vikings stadium. Golden Valley-based Mortenson is the construction manager and Little Canada-based Frattalone Cos. is the demolition subcontractor.

Demolition was moving along quickly until the setback on Monday afternoon.

Last Thursday, a wrecking ball attached to a mobile crane smashed into the northeast exterior of the building. It worked alongside a high-reach excavator, which tore off large sections of exterior metal.

The buildings roof was deflated in mid-January and cables that supported the roof were subsequently imploded.

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Metrodome demolition to resume by weeks end