Smoke stack demolitions are always fun to watch because they typically stand much taller than the buildings surrounding them, giving cameras great views of the carnage. They don’t always go well, like when a 2.6 million pound brick stack fell directly on top of an excavator (the operator was fine, by the way), but they’re always dramatic.
Both smoke stacks at the Sappi Paper Mill in Muskegon, Michigan were supposed to be demolished at the same time, but plans changed after one required an emergency demolition due to its poor condition. To add to the interest, the crumbling smoke stack was also glazed with a material that contained 2 to 3 percent asbestos, according to MLive.
Because the asbestos could not be abated before the demolition, extra precautions had to be taken. Not only was the building and surrounding area continuously sprayed with water before and after the initial implosion, but the stack was directed towards a pond of water, all to reduce the amount of airborne dust. Members of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) were also on-site to monitor the air quality inside a 1,000 foot perimeter set up around the stack.
All of the estimated 685 cubic feet of debris had to be wrapped and transported to a landfill in Coopersville, Michigan. Soil testing will also be carried out by the DEQ to determine if any soil needs removed. As for the second smoke stack, asbestos will be abated prior to that demolition, which is expected to happen in the fall.
The video below was captured by a 4K camera by the City of Muskegon for your viewing pleasure. I chose to start the video at 1:30 in, as the implosion and collapse happens soon after.
Full story: 5 things to know about the Sappi smoke stack demolitions | M Live
On Tuesday morning, February 23, the Syracuse Fire Department responded to a call about a collapsed crane on a construction site near the university. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.