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ROME, June 28-- The remaining towers of a major bridge collapsed last summer in the northwest city of Genoa, which killed 43 people, were destroyed on Friday in order to open way to reconstruction. The operation was carried out by firefighters and by demolition experts with the Italian army, under constant monitoring of the national Civil Protection agency. About 3,500 of residents were evacuated for safety reasons. The so-called Morandi Bridge -- an originally 1,182-meter viaduct connecting Genoa west and east, and linking the city to two major highways -- had stood some 50 meters high over the city. The still-standing towers no. 10 and 11 were destroyed at 9:37 a.m. local time through a controlled explosion, with dynamite and plastic positioned on the bridge's pillars and stays, the local government said. "All operations were carried out in accordance with methods and times announced," Genoa municipality specified in a statement. "From today on, reconstruction can definitely begin," it added. The explosion sent thousands of tonnes of concrete to the ground, and emergency teams put water tanks around the place, and made large use of water cannons to help suppress the dust caused by the fall of the huge remains. Light sea breezes blowing on Genoa on Friday morning also helped avoid a major spread of the dust, pushing it towards the nearby mountains, local authorities explained. | 
