Abandoned Miami Beach Hospital Implodes Amid White Cloud: Video

MIAMI BEACH, FL -- The abandoned South Shore hospital, which has been an eyesore to residents of Miami Beach for years, came tumbling down Tuesday morning in a planned implosion that sent a massive white dust cloud into the sky.

Contractors were in place to oversee the scheduled 10 a.m. implosion of the structure at 600 Alton Road, according to information released by the city of Miami Beach. The implosion was delayed about 15 minutes but went off without a hitch.

"The building will collapse within 12 to 16 seconds after implosion charges begin to detonate in the initiation system," the contractor said ahead of the blast.

The actual implosion appeared to go much faster, perhaps only fewer than 10 seconds from start to finish. Nearby residents could hear a series of 16 explosions as the building collapsed amid cheers.

Watch video taken by Ernesto Rodriguez of the Miami Beach Police Department below:

"The structure will fall to create a debris pile which will primarily be within the footprint of the structure and slightly to the north and west of that footprint," the contractor said ahead of the implosion.

Two minutes prior to the implosion, residents were supposed to hear two, five-second warning horns or sirens but it was unclear if that occurred.

City officials said Miami Beach first responders and police officers were in the area to coordinate traffic and address possible safety concerns.

Miami Beach police set up an "exclusion zone" between West Avenue and Lenox Avenue, north of 5 Street to 7 Street.

At 9:45 a.m., traffic on Alton Road between 5 and 8 streets was stopped in preparation for the implosion.

"The Building Department has been in contact with the contractor throughout this process," city officials said. "The contractor has received all proper permits including a city building permit, road closure permit, demolition permit and Miami-Dade County Blast Permit in order to allow explosives to be brought to the site."

The subcontractor, Controlled Demolition, Inc., was also to have been on site throughout the preparation and blasting process.

"There will be a heavy dust in the block immediately surrounding the demolition site," Miami Beach officials said ahead of the implosion, warning residents to stay indoors if they had any respiratory conditions that would be aggravated by dust.

The massive dust cloud was expected to dissipate within 4 to 6 minutes following the all clear at which time the road was to open to traffic.

Last July, the former oceanfront Marlborough House condominium building collapsed when a planned demolition went horribly wrong. A demolition worker died after being struck by flying debris in the July 23 collapse. See WATCH: Oceanfront Building Demolition Goes 'Terribly Wrong'

Witnesses described hearing a thunderous crash as the high-rise Marlborough House came tumbling down like a house of cards. The building was located at 5775 Collins Avenue.

Click here for additional information on Tuesday's implosion from the contractor along with a letter from the contractor to the Miami Beach building department.