CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Explosions rocked a quiet uptown Charlotte early Saturday morning as dynamite brought down the old Duke Power building.

A large crowd gathered for the 7:30 a.m. demolition, which only lasted 16 seconds.

Wrecking crews loaded the building on the corner of Church and First streets with 400 pounds of explosives before the blast. After the structure fell they sprayed water on the area to help the dust settle.

Crews also checked the area around the site to make sure there was no damage to nearby buildings. The new Duke Energy headquarters is right next door, and the demolition team has been working since November to prepare it for the blast by putting protective fencing and fabric on the sides.

The building was demolished to make way for new development.