Hydraulic hammers called in after three blasts fail to fell bridge.

Demolition contractors were forced to call in the hydraulic hammer reinforcements after three attempted explosive blasts failed to drop a bridge spanning the Salt Fork Creek.

The warning siren sounded Wednesday afternoon, March 10; a worker called out, “Fire in the hole!” and the explosives planted in the Eastwood bridge over Salt Fork Creek were detonated. When the smoke cleared, the bridge was still standing.

Disappointed demolition crews started drilling more holes, reportedly working into the night and again early Thursday, March 11.

About 9 a.m. Thursday, more explosives were detonated, and although the bridge was starting to look a rough around the edges, it was still standing.

Friday morning, the crews took one last crack at knocking the bridge down with explosives.

“It’s getting so broken up now it’s hard to find a place to drill on it safely,” said Shannon Jenkins of Lehman Construction before the final blast. “We’re going to try to blow the feet clear out from underneath it. But there’s no guarantee it’s going to fall down this time.”

Jenkins said the explosives company, Phillip Davis Controlled Blasting, wasn’t doing anything wrong in its efforts to bring the old bridge down.

Possibly true – But having run out of bridge in which to drill holes in which to place the explosives, the company eventally called for the cavalry and finished the job using excavators equipped with hydraulic hammers.

The catalogue of failed implosions can be viewed below:

Exclusive video captures final moments of Kent’s two tallest chimneys.

Earlier today, several hundred people boarded the Thames Cruiser The Erasmus to make the short voyage from Gravesend Royal Terrace Pier the its station just across the river from the former Lafarge cement works, the site of Europe’s largest demolition site.

The attendees, a mixture of friends, family and staff had been invited by demolition company Erith Contractors Ltd to attend the implosion of the two tallest chimneys in Kent. These were joined by a large number of local people, several TV companies, an almost 100 viewers watching our own live stream. And they weren’t to be disappointed as NFDC president oversaw what he described as a “textbook implosion” that dropped the two chimneys right on time, and right on target.

Erith Contractors will drop a pair of giant chimneys later today; and you can watch live.

Three hours from now, one of the explosives team employed by Erith Contractors Ltd will press the button to drop a pair of giant chimneys that loom over the remnants of Europe’s largest demolition site in Kent, England.

Demolition News has been granted permission to film the event and to hopefully broadcast it live from the deck of The Erasmus Thames river cruiser hired to provide VIPs and guests with a safe vantage point from which to view the implosion.

To watch live, please click here at 11.00.

Exclusive audio interview with Leonard Cherry, owner, Cherry Companies.

In the first of a new series of “People Profile” audio podcasts, we speak to Leonard Cherry, owner of Cherry Companies (including Cherry Demolition) and a man with more than 30 years demolition experience under his belt.

In this exclusive podcast, Cherry extols the virtues of recycling, urges equipment manufacturers to focus their R&D upon producing smaller yet more productive machines, and decries the public’s negative perception of the demolition business.

To listen, simply hit the play button below:

iPod, iPhone and iTunes users can download the podcast via iTunes (and subscribe to the Demolition News podcast to receive all future audio content) by clicking here.

New CDI video demonstrates the artistry of the explosive engineer.

According to the YouTube write-up, this video shows Controlled Demolition, Inc. (CDI) of Phoenix, Maryland, USA (acting as Implosion Subcontractor to Hardin of Cypress, Florida) performing the successful explosives felling of four catalytic cracker units ranging from 81 feet to 131 feet tall at the former Arizona Chemical Plant in Port St. Joe, Florida at 9:50AM on Friday, March 19, 2010.

But watch it from the 56 second mark, and you actually see the artistry behind the delays as the four towers are laid down. Very nice.

In preparation for the implosion on 11 April, Texas Stadium provides useful preview details.

In just over two weeks, 11-year old Casey Rogers will pres the button to start one of the most eagerly-anticipated implosions in recent times, bringing to an end the history of the Texas Stadium, former home of the Dallas Cowboys.

But, in the run-up to implosion day (11 April), the City of Irving and the various contractors and specialists involved have provided some very useful preview materials including live webcam feeds of the preparatory works, videos and interviews with the specialists on the ground, and a detailed FAQ from Dykon Explosives, the company charged with ensuring that the stadium falls as planned.

All of this information and more can be found by clicking here.

Interview with Spectra Analysis’ Angela Chouaib on changes to UK asbestos regulations.

Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys have been carried out as ‘Type 3’ surveys since the introduction of MDHS 100 in July 2001. This document provided advice and methodology for surveyors engaged in all asbestos survey types. However, the guidance for Type 3 Surveys was nominal which inevitably led to varying degrees of inspection procedures by the surveying companies.

The Health & Safety Executive have now issued Asbestos: The Survey Guide (HSG264)1 which was published on January 29th January 2010. The new guidance is specifically aimed at surveyors who carry out asbestos surveys and those who commission the surveys. (Client / Duty Holders)

The client/duty holder has been given more guidance in the selection of the inspection body/surveyor and their own responsibilities under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 reinforced.

In this exclusive audio interview, Spectra Analysis’ Angela Chouaib explains the changes and what they mean to UK demolition contractors undertaking asbestos-related work. Just hit the play button (below) to listen.

iPod, iPhone and iTunes users can download the podcast via iTunes (and subscribe to the Demolition News podcast to receive all future audio content) by clicking here.

A pair of giant chimneys will fall this weekend. And Demolition News will broadcast it live.

The latest phase in Europe’s largest demolition project will be completed this weekend when a simultaneous implosion drops the two chimneys that tower over the former Lafarge cement works in Northfleet, Kent. And Demolition News will be attempting to broadcast the event live, as it happens.

The company behind the implosion, Erith Contractors Ltd, has very kindly chartered a Thames river cruiser to allow guests and staff to watch the momentous implosion from a safe vantage point. And Demolition News’ camera crew will be among their number.

The blast is scheduled for 11.00 am but, technology allowing, we’re hoping to broadcast from approximately 10.45 to capture the atmosphere and to ensure that we’re fully ready when the button is fianlly pressed.

To view the LIVE implosion, just click here at the appropriate time.

And don’t worry – If your visit to church, viewing of the Sunday Times, or your tea, toast and marmalade prevent you from watching it live, the raw footage will remain on the site; and we will be bringing you the more professional footage immediately after the weekend.

Administrators to auction Instrip Demolition equipment fleet this week.

We have just received notification of an important online auction of the entire equipment fleet of Instrip Demolition in the North East of England. The auction will include some 200 lots, the catalogue for which is available here.

Among the items for sale are:

Pegson 1100×650 Premier Trak Crusher
King STL 85 3H Low Loader Trailer
Extensive Range of Liebherr Demolition Spec Excavators (including: 944 high reach)
Euro Trailers Tipping Trailer
2 x Tractor Units (rated to 150 tonnes)
Range of Containers & Roll on Roll off Skips
Range of Demolition Attachments including Hydraulic Grabs, Pulverisers, Shears & Buckets

All sales subject to standard terms and conditions
All Enquiries +44 (0) 141 570 4000
A Buyers Premium of 10% will apply to all lots sold
Note to Overseas Purchasers: Please note that buyers based outside the United Kingdom not known to Sweeney Kincaid may be asked to deposit sufficient funds with us prior to placing bids.

Sale Specific Terms and conditions: All lots must be paid for by Electronic Transfer of Cleared Funds No Later Than Mon 29th March, and collected between 10am – 4pm on Wed 30th March or Thurs 1st April by the purchaser. All lots are sold as is, where is. Please ensure you have inspected goods and are satisfied with the condition, quantities etc prior to placing bids on lin

Highway engineers overcome rock slide safety concern….with unsafe practice!

Rock slides are, of course, a major safety hazard; and highway engineers around the world have devised numerous ways to prevent them.

But few of these methods are as hair-brained and hazardous as those employed by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDT) which has taken it upon itself to suspend a breaker-equipped mini excavator and a seemingly suicidal operator on a wooden platform suspended from a crane.

From this precarious position, the breaker is used to pry loose rock from the rock face above US 64….at least when the mini excavator isn’t swinging or revolving in an uncontrolled manner.

We would like to embed the video here but, apparently, foresight is not a strong point for TDT so you’ll have to click here if you want to watch some of the least safe practice it has been my misfortune to witness.