A 70-year-old smokestack on the site of a former paper mill in western Michigan has been demolished.
The Muskegon Chronicle posted video of the implosion, which left behind rubble and cloud of dust Tuesday morning in Muskegon. The demolition of "Power House Stack No. 1" came amid concerns by city officials that it might collapse if left standing.
Police set up a perimeter around the site to keep onlookers safe from asbestos-laden dust. The newspaper reports officials had determined it was too dangerous to remove asbestos from the smokestack before demolition.
Another smokestack, the 72-year-old "recovery boiler chimney," still stands at the former Sappi Paper Mill site. Crews will remove asbestos paint prior to demolition.
Plans call for the site to be transformed into the Windward Pointe mixed-use development.
