The demolition of an Industrial chimney

The date: April 5 2009, almost 25 years back to the day, at the edge of the Lancashire town of Clitheroe.
A chance capture as I was taking photos of the mist and birds on the nearby River Ribble when I heard a rumble. I looked towards the cement works across the river and saw the chimney starting to topple. As the camera was in my hands and already in fast shoot mode (I was trying also to get some flying herons) I managed to catch this before it disappeared in a cloud of dust behind the buildings. It was made of concrete and 460 feet high (140m). A moment never to be relived here.

BBC News: “One of the tallest industrial chimneys in Lancashire has been demolished.
The chimney was part of the Hanson cement plant in Clitheroe and was connected to two kilns that were decommissioned two years ago. The fall of the chimney at the cement works, formerly called Castle Cement, was witnessed by onlookers as it dropped at 1000 BST on Sunday.”

It was built in the 1960's out of reinforced concrete and was much hated by the local residents of Clitheroe because of smells and fumes (refuted). It was in fact surrounded in most parts by beautiful rural countryside.

Enjoy full screen

HAPPY EASTER