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The abandoned Hertz Tower, which became a symbol of the destruction brought by back-to-back hurricanes in Louisiana in 2020, was finally demolished on Saturday.

Demolition footage from Lake Charles shows the moment the dilapidated, 22-story skyscraper, formerly known as the Capital One Tower, comes crashing down on itself after workers set off a series of explosions inside.

The implosion sent a massive dirty cloud erupting in the air and spreading across the area that had become an eyesore after years of failed promises to restore the once prominent tower.


  The Hertz Tower, which was badly damaged by back-to-back hurricanes in 2020, was demolished on Saturday. AP The Hertz Tower, which was badly damaged by back-to-back hurricanes in 2020, was demolished on Saturday. AP

  The building came crashing down on itself after a demolition crew set off explosions inside the skyscraper. AP The building came crashing down on itself after a demolition crew set off explosions inside the skyscraper. AP

Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter, whose administration helped secure $7 million in private funds to pay for the demolition, described the event as “bittersweet.”

“I know how hard the city tried to work with several development groups to see it saved, but ultimately… it proved to be too tall a task,” Hunter said in the moments leading up to the implosion.

“It’s been four years. It’s been long enough.”

The Hertz Tower and Lake Charles had been battered by Hurricane Laura in 2020, with the Category 4 storm wrecking buildings and claiming the lives of more than 25 people in the region.


  The implosion released a massive dust cloud in the area. AP The implosion released a massive dust cloud in the area. AP

As Louisiana struggled to recover, Hurricane Delta struck the region six weeks later, with the two storms estimated to have caused $22 billion in damage, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storms badly damaged the Hertz Tower, a mainstay on the city’s skyline for more than 40 years — leaving it with shattered windows, shredded tarps and flooding damage.

The Hertz Investment Group, which owns the property, had promised to repair the building once it settled things in court with its insurance provider, Zurich, The Advocate reported.


  The Hertz Tower, formerly known as the Capital One Tower, stood in Lake Charles for more than four decades. AP The Hertz Tower, formerly known as the Capital One Tower, stood in Lake Charles for more than four decades. AP

The estimated cost to repair the building was set at $167 million, but the two parties eventually settled for an undisclosed amount.

City officials said Hertz still owns the property, and the future of the site remains unknown.

The Hertz Investment Group did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

With Post wires

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