This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/7578266.stm

The article has changed 17 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Tinsley towers come crashing down Tower fails to fall in explosion
(10 minutes later)
A controlled blast has failed to demolish a large part of one of two landmark concrete cooling towers in South Yorkshire.A controlled blast has failed to demolish a large part of one of two landmark concrete cooling towers in South Yorkshire.
The towers at Tinsley viaduct stood at the gateway to Sheffield for decades and were a familiar sight to millions of drivers on the M1 motorway. The towers at Tinsley viaduct were a familiar to millions of drivers on the M1 at Sheffield's gateway for decades.
At 0300 BST the blast to reduce the so-called "salt and pepper pots" to rubble left part of the north tower standing.At 0300 BST the blast to reduce the so-called "salt and pepper pots" to rubble left part of the north tower standing.
The leader of Sheffield council said something had "clearly gone wrong". Sheffield City Council said something had "clearly gone wrong". It is unclear when the shut M1 motorway will reopen.
The blast was watched by several thousand people and the M1 motorway had to be closed from midnight on Saturday between junctions 32 and 35. It may not reopen for some time. The blast was watched by several thousand people and the M1 motorway had to be closed from midnight on Saturday, between junctions 32 and 35.
The towers stood only feet away from the twin-deck Tinsley viaduct which carries the motorway on the top deck and the A631 on its lower deck. The towers stood only feet away from the twin-deck Tinsley viaduct, which carries the motorway on the top deck and the A631 on its lower deck. It's not a small amount that's still standing Paul Scriven, leader of Sheffield City Council
Despite campaigns to save the 250ft (76m) towers, which were the only remnants of the Blackburn Meadows power station, energy firm E.ON said the 70-year-old structures had deteriorated. The 250ft (76m) towers were both supposed to have been brought down, but after dust settled, about half of the north tower could still be seen standing.
Paul Scriven, the leader of Sheffield City Council said: "The expectation here of people who were feeling, whether they were for or against the tower, the expectation of it coming down and an old chapter ending and a new one beginning, suddenly has turned to concern.
"Particularly... what does this mean for the M1, can the M1 reopen, what does it mean in terms of getting the rest of that half of the tower down, because it's not a small amount that's still standing."
Despite campaigns to save the towers, which were the only remnants of the Blackburn Meadows power station, energy firm E.ON said it was destroying them as the the 70-year-old structures had deteriorated.
Nowhere else in the world has anyone sought to bring down similar structures that sit so close to a major highway viaduct Arthur Ashburner, Highways Agency The firm has been given permission to build a £60m biomass power station at the site.Nowhere else in the world has anyone sought to bring down similar structures that sit so close to a major highway viaduct Arthur Ashburner, Highways Agency The firm has been given permission to build a £60m biomass power station at the site.
Emily Highmore, from E.ON, said preserving the towers would have been very expensive.Emily Highmore, from E.ON, said preserving the towers would have been very expensive.
"They would require a very, very significant investment and fundamentally speaking we are an energy company and our job is to keep people's lights on.""They would require a very, very significant investment and fundamentally speaking we are an energy company and our job is to keep people's lights on."
Arthur Ashburner, from the Highways Agency, said: "This demolition is a unique situation and as far as we are aware, nowhere else in the world has anyone sought to bring down similar structures that sit so close to a major highway viaduct."Arthur Ashburner, from the Highways Agency, said: "This demolition is a unique situation and as far as we are aware, nowhere else in the world has anyone sought to bring down similar structures that sit so close to a major highway viaduct."
He said the M1 would not reopen immediately after the demolition.He said the M1 would not reopen immediately after the demolition.
"We will carry out a series of checks to ensure that there has been no damage to the viaduct, which in itself may take several hours."We will carry out a series of checks to ensure that there has been no damage to the viaduct, which in itself may take several hours.
"We will reopen the road only when we are entirely satisfied that it is safe to do so.""We will reopen the road only when we are entirely satisfied that it is safe to do so."
Some locals had tried to save the cooling towers and have them turned into art.Some locals had tried to save the cooling towers and have them turned into art.
Campaigner Tom Keeley said: "You see very few cooling towers that are in quite such a visible position, they're 12 metres from the M1, and they kind of they symbolise not only a gateway to Sheffield and Yorkshire but they also symbolise a gateway to the North."Campaigner Tom Keeley said: "You see very few cooling towers that are in quite such a visible position, they're 12 metres from the M1, and they kind of they symbolise not only a gateway to Sheffield and Yorkshire but they also symbolise a gateway to the North."