Jet Demolition, South Africa’s leading demolition specialist, has successfully completed the implosion of five massive hyperbolic natural draught cooling towers at the Asansol plant in West Bengal of the Steel Authority of India (SAIL), in partnership with India-based Edifice Engineering.
The towers, each standing 70 m tall and spanning 48 m in diameter at the base, were brought down in a meticulously sequenced implosion, detonated half a second apart, to clear the way for a new integrated steel plant. The fast-track project forms part of a major redevelopment by SAIL and was awarded following an urgent need to prepare the site for new construction.
“This was our sixteenth major structure implosion working with Edifice and certainly one of the most complex due to proximity challenges of live services,” says Joe Brinkmann, MD of Jet Demolition. “We were working within just 4 m of active electrical services and 12 m from a live substation. Water lines were as close as 3 m. The design had to be flawless, and it was.”
The implosion, which took just eight seconds from the first detonation to full collapse, utilised 6 180 blast holes targeting both the support columns and shell to deliberately break the structure’s inherit circular strength. This approach ensured the towers tilted and collapsed precisely as planned.
“These towers were much stronger than usual, likely due to India’s higher seismic requirements, so we took additional precautions to ensure a controlled fall,” explains Brinkmann. “We have demolished cooling towers before, so we knew what was needed. We have built up a lot of experience and techniques for explosive-induced collapse over the now 30 years of working in South Africa. We are one of the few specialised companies in the world doing this work now.”
Edifice Engineering provided on-the-ground support, bringing in skilled labour and specialised machinery such as excavators with customised tools and mobile access platforms. Jet Demolition handled the technical design, sequencing, and execution of the implosion, while Edifice continues with site clean-up and recycling efforts.
“This collaboration really works,” says Brinkmann. “We have established a solid working relationship with Edifice Engineering. They are the leading demolition company in India, and we are certainly pleased to work exclusively with them on projects in India. Together, it is a powerful partnership.”
According to Brinkmann, environmental sustainability was a key consideration. Nearly 100% of the demolished materials will be recycled, with concrete from the towers and their foundations to be reused as fill for the new plant, while steel will be melted down and reprocessed. “There is virtually no waste and minimal environmental impact. The materials are being reused onsite, so we are avoiding long-distance transport and the associated carbon emissions.”
India’s vibrant economy and continued growth make it an increasingly attractive market for Jet Demolition. “India’s economy is expected to grow between 6.2% and 6.8% this year, with a GDP which has doubled in the last 10 years and a population of over 1.4 billion,” notes Brinkmann. “It is a growing market with significant demand for redevelopment, which aligns well with our expertise.”
Jet Demolition’s team of five travelled from South Africa to India for the project. Following the successful implosion, they have already begun surveying other potential projects in the country, including a major bridge in Kolkata, plus another project to implode two 120-m-high chimneys at a separate power station.
“Given the situation in South Africa, we are increasingly looking further afield. In Southern Africa, just north of us, we are now operating in two different countries. We are anticipating one project starting soon, with another one that has been awarded and is expected to kick off toward the end of the year. That said, we are always on the lookout for new opportunities and are increasingly taking on work beyond our borders wherever we can land it,” says Brinkmann.
Security for the implosion was managed by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which oversaw the establishment and protection of the exclusion zone to ensure public safety during the operation. “This project is a testament to the expertise, precision, and adaptability of Jet Demolition in an international market,” Brinkmann concluded. “Finding the right local partner is key, and in Edifice Engineering, we have exactly that. Together, we are making big things happen.”
