Baton Rouge: The government has bombed the 22-storey Hertz Tower located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA. It was once a magnificent building in the city. But now it is lost in bomb blasts and dust. This building was lying vacant for the last four years. In fact, the building was heavily damaged by hurricanes Laura and Delta in 2020. It was vacant since then.
In just 15 seconds the building turned into rubble
This building was earlier known as Capital One Tower. For four decades, this building was adding to the beauty of the city. But everything changed after the devastating storm. The 22-story building collapsed into a pile of rubble in just 15 seconds in the bombing that took place in the presence of Lake Charles Mayor Nick Hunter.
Owner fought legal battle
As The Advocate reports, the building's owner and Los Angeles-based real estate firm Hertz Investment Group had been fighting a legal battle with its insurance provider Zurich for years. The owner demanded an estimated cost of $167 million to renovate the building. However, after the two reached an agreement, the administration demolished the building.
Lake Charles on the banks of the Calcasieu River
It is worth noting that in 2020, more than 25 people lost their lives in the Lake Charles area due to Hurricane Laura. This city is located on the banks of the Calcasieu River and is a two-hour drive from Houston. The population here is around 80,000.