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Water Tower's Final Moments Caught on Tape
The water tower in Rowlett, Texas, stood for nearly 30 years, but it’s in its demise that the 155-foot-tall structure has found fame outside of the town.
The Martha Water Tower was damaged when a major tornado hit the town in December 2015. For more than a year, it remained in place while officials worked out exactly how to handle the problem. Then, on Monday (Feb. 6), it came down with a crash—with cameras rolling.
Tornado Damage
A radius of 200 feet around the tower was evacuated immediately after the tornado, part of a deadly outbreak of twisters that occurred Dec. 26, 2015, in northern Texas. The tower was reportedly hit with flying debris and even mobile homes that had been upended by the winds.
The tank was drained at that time, and according to the Dallas-Fort Worth NBC affiliate, the structure was stabilized with guywires.
The decision was made to take the tower down, and on Monday, it died with a heave—caught on camera and video by many, including filmmaker Jeff Adair, who made a short video of the proud tower’s demise. Press “play” above to witness the tower’s final moments.
Editor's note: This story was one of our most popular "Off the Wall" features of 2017, and appeared in our Readers' Choice issue on Dec. 29.
