NBC NATIONAL NEWS — Italian firefighters made the decision to implode the bell tower of a church that was heavily damaged in two earthquakes that recently hit the area.

Firefighters and demolition experts fixed explosive charges around the tower of the San Michele Abbey in order to bring it down safely.

Residents of the town were hoping to prop up the tower but the continuing aftershocks convinced firefighters to knock it down.

The bell tower was built in 1907.