DYNA- MITE ...NOT!
Safety fears as Alcoa plans take two after failed Anglesea power station demolition
THE planned demolition of Alcoa’s disused power station at Anglesea didn’t go to plan yesterday with the multi-storey structure failing to come down after the blast meant to topple it.
The area will remain cordoned off as authorities plan a second attempt.
The explosion, which could be heard from as far away as Ocean Grove, attracted onlookers keen to see the end of a piece of history but things didn’t pan out quite the way they expected.
AUTHORITIES will have to make a second attempt at destroying Alcoa’s Anglesea power station, after a planned demolition left the site’s main structure still standing.
Alcoa planned to fell the site — except the towering smoke stack — in one event that lasted 10 to 20 seconds.
Alcoa had prepared for the demolition, with the works including a 12-month program to remove asbestos from the power station.
The controlled explosion ion was advertised as being cararried out between 9am and noon, but happened slightly htly behind schedule at 12.36pm. m.
It set off a massive bang, g, which was heard as far away as Ocean Grove, that first razed the bunkers.
The six-storey high conveyor belt then toppled, , creating a dark dust cloud d that appeared to drift towards rds the rubbish tip.
But the main structure was left standing, and largely untouched.
Alcoa did not address the cause of the malfunction, amid speculation the charges attached to the structure did not go off.
Alcoa site asset manager Warren Sharp said the demolition was carried out safely but did not result in the complete collapse of the power station.
“We are currently working with the principal contractor to assess the site and plan for the remainder of the struc- ture to be demolished,” Mr Sharp said. “The safety of all site personnel and the community is Alcoa’s priority.”
A 110m exclusion zone was in place around the power station, with security officers patrolling the perimeter.
The timing of the demolition had raised eyebrows, given the prevailing wind direction.
The nearby Aireys Inlet weather station recorded west-northwesterly wind gusts of 28km/h at 12.30pm. That had swung to a northwesterly by 12.48pm. “When the wind is north to northwe northwest, it blows
over half the town,” Anglesea business owner Jason Stephens said.
“It should not have been done on a day like that,” Mr Stephens said, pointing to today’s forecast that showed the winds were turning to the south.
The demolition served as a mini-reunion for dozens of former Alcoa employees, who had gathered on Coalmine Rd to watch the event.
Having arrived as early as 8am to view the spectacle, many waited for up to an hour after the first explosion before dispersing.
One of the long-time workers there to witness the end of an era was Dave Brown, who had spent 36 years at the site, progressing through a variety of roles including tradesman, operator and foreman.
“It was a great place to work . . . in a way, it’s sad to see it go,” Mr Brown said.
After finishing in 2010, he said he was one of only two ex-employees who continued to live in Anglesea.
He said Alcoa’s contribution to Anglesea should not be underestimated.
“Not only giving money, but also time and labour to do jobs. They were really good to the community. A lot of people who have lived in town since forget that,” he said.