General

Asbestos abatement official jailed for part in bid rigging scam. A former head of the West Virginia Capitol’s asbestos abatement program was sentenced to a year in prison in federal court in Maryland last week. Paul Prendergast, 47, of Gaithersburg, Md., pleaded guilty in October 2007 to violating the federal Travel Act by leaking confidential…Read moreRead more

Demolition company buyer jailed for Deutsche Bank fraud. A buyer with a company hired to take down a toxic ground zero skyscraper has been sentenced to 2½ to 7½ years in prison for billing the government for supplies never delivered. Robert Chiarappa didn’t speak at his sentencing Tuesday. He pleaded guilty last month to grand…Read moreRead more

News of another US low bid could be good news in disguise. When I first spotted the headline “Anderson OKs demolitions after surprise low bids“, I was struck with two immediate thoughts. The first was one of “oh no, not again” as it sounded like the latest in a long line of low bid stories…Read moreRead more

The demolition method is yet to be decided but arisings from Big E look bound for landfill. It is a soap opera-style saga that is keeping with its close links to the world of TV and media. But even before a demolition method has been selected, the West Louisville landfill is bracing itself for an…Read moreRead more

Award of demolition contract to city official’s brother’s employer raises eyebrows. City officials in Gary, Indiana are defending themselves against allegations of favoritism after awarding demolition work to a contractor employing relatives of Gary officials. It comes as city officials prepare for a quantum leap in such work, as much as $24.7 million in federal…Read moreRead more

Subsidies from TV companies could create pricing imbalance and put lives at risk. The highly competitive nature of the demolition industry largely ensures that contractors large and small are competing on a level playing field. For while a larger company may have larger overheads, the universal cost of the manpower, training, equipment, fuel and insurance…Read moreRead more

Philadelphia Steam Plant implosion “dangerously close” to Amtrak rail lines. A US demolition expert has voiced concerns over the planned implosion of the old PRR steam plant (now owned by Amtrak), located next to 30th Street Station in downtown Philadelphia. The expert, who has chosen to remain anonymous, believes that the chimney’s close proximity to…Read moreRead more

Cirrus Research unveils new Optimus range of sound level meters. Cirrus Research plc, the UK company which specialises in the design and development of noise measurement equipment, has launched a whole new generation of sound level meters under the brand name ‘optimus’. Featuring smart design and advanced technology, Cirrus’ optimus sound level meters will set…Read moreRead more

Coleman & Co. score high-rise hat-trick in Edinburgh. Three tower blocks have been demolished in Edinburgh, with a controlled explosion, to make way for new housing. Schoolboy Robert Millar, 11, pushed the button which brought down Garvald, Soutra and Fala Courts in the Gracemount area of south Edinburgh. The multi-storey blocks have been demolished so…Read moreRead more

Clean up starts at laboratory responsible for world’s first atomic bomb. Technical Area 21, at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, is being cleared of its buildings and cleaned up with $212 million of federal stimulus money. During the Manhattan Project, the scientists building the world’s first atomic bomb moved their plutonium processing operations here. Rain…Read moreRead more