Redcar fatal explosion towers set for demolition

Tommy Williams and John Mackay were killed while working on the dismantling of the former coke ovens

Two towers at the former Redcar steelworks where two men died in an explosion are to be demolished.

John Mackay and Tommy Williams died at the former SSI site in September 2019 - investigations by police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are ongoing.

There had been fears the coke ovens towers were at risk of collapse.

The South Tees Site Company (STSC) has now said the contract is out for the demolition, with work "expected to commence next month".

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said documents for a Compulsory Purchase Order stated the towers were facing "uncontrolled" and "imminent" collapse earlier this year.

It added: "National resilience services and equipment have been employed to control the hazard and the potential for imminent collapse onto adjacent, equally hazardous, infrastructure."

Fire crews were called to the scene on 19 September 2019

But now the STSC believes the structures are more robust than previously thought. 

A spokesman said: "The towers have remained upright and stable through both a winter and a summer, including gusts of winds of up to 80 miles per hour. 

"As such, there are no concerns over their stability for the foreseeable future. 

"We are now in the process of contracting for the demolition of the towers and expect the work to commence next month. 

"There remains an ongoing HSE and police investigation into the incident and we are not able to comment further."

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