Redcar steel plant: 'Biggest demolition' of its kind in 75 years

A building on the site of a former steelworks has been brought down in what is thought to be one of the largest single explosive demolition operations in the UK in 75 years.

The Basic Oxygen Steelmaking (BOS) Plant in Redcar refined molten iron from the blast furnace, until the works closed in 2015.

Up to 1.6 tonnes of explosives was used to level the 65m (213ft) structure.

The site is now being regenerated to create the Teesworks industrial zone.

The demolition was part of a £25m project carried out over the past 12 months to pull down a series of large industrial shed buildings and seven tall chimney stacks that made up part of the 30-acre steelmaking facility.

Major plant items and equipment were stripped out from the facility to prepare the structure, which contained an estimated 105,000 tonnes of steel.

The blast could be heard up to eight miles away.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, who pressed the button to detonate the explosives, said: "Each demolition of the former steelmaking structures on this site is a bittersweet moment as they have played such a huge part in shaping our communities, people and identity for decades.

"While we remember our past, we must never lose sight of the reason we're doing this.

"This is demolishing to deliver - it's only by bringing old structures down that we can build new opportunity.

"We're unlocking yet more land and making the site an even more attractive prospect for all of the international investors we're working to bring to Teesworks."

Redcar Steelworks was first mothballed in 2010 before being restarted by SSI UK when it took over ownership from Tata Steel in 2012, but it entered liquidation three years later with the loss of more than 2,000 jobs.

Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk