Controlled demolition takes down 1 crane looming over New Orleans Hard Rock Hotel

Crews have conducted a controlled demolition at the Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans to bring down two cranes standing at the site.

Video of the demolition showed a brief explosion followed by one of the cranes toppling to the ground. The other crane appeared to remain standing after the smoke cleared.

The demolition was originally planned for Friday but was delayed until Sunday. The delay came after city officials determined that the cranes were more damaged than previously thought, The Associated Press reported.

Three workers were killed and dozens more people were injured after the cranes collapsed on Oct. 12. The cranes were a source of major concern as they continued to sway after the accident.

One crane is about 270 feet high and the other is about 300 feet high, according to AP.

City officials ordered an evacuation of the area surrounding the partially collapsed hotel, located on the edge of the historic French Quarter, on Sunday morning. Demolition crews attached small explosives known as energetic materials to the cranes in an effort to bring them down in the same place as where they were standing several stories above the ground.

The remains of two the deceased are still inside the unstable building, and first responders hope to retrieve them once the demolition was complete.

Ten of the injured victims have filed a lawsuit against five companies involved in the construction.

ABC News’ Ella Torres contributed to this report.

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