The chimney was the latest stage in the demolition of the old oil-powered station, which was closed for good six years ago.
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A HUGE chimney at Grain on the Hoo peninsula in Kent was razed to the ground yesterday morning after dominating the local skyline for nearly forty years.
The defunct 244m-tall Grain A Power Station chimney in the United Kingdom is dramatically demolished with a load of explosives.
One of the unfortunate spectators Dave Lelliot, 67, had parked up to catch the demolition on the banks of the river.
Those who managed to watch the Grain tower saw the 40,000 ton concrete structure – two and a half times the height of Big Ben – crumble in on itself after two loud explosions sent it toppling to the ground.
‘They were all along the jetty, all around the bay. “There were people shrugging their shoulders and quite a few disgruntled faces”.
The 224m (800ft) chimney at the disused plant was blown up on the morning of 7 September, creating some 40,000 tonnes of concrete rubble.
The plant, which was on the Isle of Grain, was a grimy oil-fired affair.
At 10:50am a 10-minute warning siren was sounded and a second siren was blasted for 20 seconds at 10.59 before watchers waited in silence for the explosion.
The destruction of the chimney is the fifth demolition event to occur at the plant as part of plans to bring down the main infrastructure.
Since the project began, 84,000 tonnes of material has been removed from the site to be recycled, and work is expected to continue until the end of the year.
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The development of Grain B means the site can continue to provide electricity to homes and firms.
