Giant chimney in Leipzig falls as planned

The 170 meter high chimney of the former heating plant "Max Reimann" in Leipzig is history. At 10:11 a.m. on Sunday, the chimney collapsed after being blown up as planned. Many residents of the city followed the spectacle near the power plant. Even minutes later, a dense cloud of smoke could be seen at the collapse site.

Ulrike Matthes, blaster of the Thuringian Blasting Company, had carried out a so-called folding blast and detonated about 100 kilograms of explosives. An evacuation had been carried out in a radius of 200 meters. Due to the dust development residents were recommended to close also beyond the exclusion circle windows and to cover technology such as solar modules or air suction plants.

After the explosion the demolition material is to be separated now and transported away. According to Leipzig's municipal utility, the work will extend over a period of up to five months. The chimney was a remnant of the lignite era in Leipzig. Until 1996, flue gases from the "Max Reimann" heating plant were vented into the air through it.