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The former Detroit Renewable Power smokestack went down with a bang early Sunday morning, ending decades of controversy over the site and its potential health risks for local communities.
The solid waste incinerator, located near the I-94 and I-75 interchange, closed in March 2019 following years of opposition to the facility by environmentalists and nearby residents. The facility opened in 1989 and burned 5,000 tons of trash daily for 30 years.
Construction crews prepared observers for the implosion Sunday, detailing the process of announcing three minute and one minute warnings before shouting “fire in the hole” and imploding the structure. Workers monitored the area to ensure nobody entered the implosion zone, and had to delay for a few minutes as a bystander passed through.
The process was done by Oklahoma-based company Explosive Demolition. Workers donned yellow vests and construction hats, holding a brief prayer before the implosion.
The implosion itself lasted a few seconds, starting with a loud bang and a bright light flashing at the base of the tower before it came falling down. Another loud bang echoed as the tower hit the ground, and in the next few minutes, clouds of dust spread across the area.
City officials had announced a planned demolition and implosion of the site, looking to end the incinerator’s legacy on Detroit. The demolition of the remaining structure is being done by Homrich Wrecking at a cost of about $10 million.
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While future plans for the site remain incomplete, city officials previously announced plans for the site. The structure bordering Russell Street is expected to house a new animal care and control center and the structures bordering Ferry Street will remain for adaptive reuse.
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