obviously not common sense

FFS folks, the small explosions occurring prior to the big show were not from smaller bombs being used as a trigger. When making a big bomb, there is one single precursor and then a big boom. The precursor typically gives a flash of black smoke (with the ongoing fire this would have been invisible so can’t be dismissed) and then the shockwave starts.

This is done with det cord and detonators (pics related).

When setting the main charge to say shear a column supporting a bridge, you set your opposing charges and then run det cord to your charges. At 25,000 feet per second, you don’t even do math to time your charges. They are for all purposes instantaneously going to go off. The det cord then sets off the detonator which causes the business. The detonator causes the main charge to go explosive too fast for the human brain to see the two explosions unless there is smoke.

You would not have a minute worth of detonators going off. There would be one that occurred in multiple spots all at once. 25,000 feet per second!!! If this was an opp, they would not have been using cord fuses that burn like a bomb from ACME and the Wiley coyote.