The explosives flashed orange and released a cloud of black smoke upon detonation, and the pod crumpled into the water in seconds.
The longest trusses fell from Daly’s grounded container ship and slid off its bow.
The wrecked section fell onto the ship’s bow and remained on the deck for the past six weeks.
The collapse killed six construction workers and halted most marine traffic through Baltimore’s busy port.
The controlled demolition will allow the Dali to be returned to the water and traffic through the harbor restored as the cleanup enters its final stages.
Once the vessel is removed, marine traffic can begin to return to normal, which will provide relief for thousands of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners whose jobs have been affected by the closure.
Officials earlier said the Dali’s 21-member crew would hide in place aboard the ship until the explosives were detonated.
In a video released this week, authorities said engineers used precision cuts to control the collapse of the trusses.
They said the method allows for “surgical precision” and is one of the safest and most efficient ways to remove steel under high stress.
The next step is for hydraulic grabs to lift the resulting steel sections onto barges.
Dali crew members were not allowed to leave the stranded ship after the disaster.
Officials said they were busy maintaining the vessel and assisting investigators. Of the crew members, 20 are from India and one is from Sri Lanka.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the FBI are investigating the bridge collapse.
Danish shipping giant Maersk had chartered the Dali for a planned voyage from Baltimore to Sri Lanka, but the ship did not make it far. The crew sent out a distress call saying they had lost power and had no control over the steering system. Minutes later, the ship crashed into the bridge.
Officials said the safety board’s investigation will focus on the ship’s electrical system.
