Watch moment old SSI steelworks in Redcar is demolished amid outpouring of emotion

On Saturday, the Basic Oxygen Steelmaking plant on the SSI UK site in Redcar was demolished using explosives.

The steelworks closed in 2015 with the loss of 2,000 jobs and a significant part of Teesside’s heritage. The site is being redeveloped as Teesworks.

The BOS building was 65 metres tall and contained 105,000 tonnes of steel. 1.6 tonnes of explosives had to be used by contractors Thompsons to demolish it – and it is believed to be one of the biggest demolition jobs that has ever taken place in the UK.

Crowds gathered to watch the spectacle, among them former workers who had fond memories of the works’ operational heyday.

Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen was invited to press the button to detonate the explosives and admitted it was a ‘bittersweet moment’.

He 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.

“Ever since the SSI steelworks closure brought so much heartache to our region almost seven years ago to the day, this plant has laid dormant and unused. While we remember our past, we must never lose sight of the reason we’re doing this.

“We’re already seeing that just a few hundred yards away, with construction under way on SeAH Wind’s huge offshore wind manufacturing plant – a £400million investment already creating good-quality, well-paid jobs for local people. It’s soon to be joined by Net Zero Teesside and the 5,500 jobs that will be created just to build the £1.5billion power plant with carbon capture, utilisation and storage.

“We’re continuing to clear the way to bring more cleaner, safer and healthier industries of tomorrow.”

Contracts were handed out for the demolition of several of the plant’s structures, including the gatehouse, oil storage tanks, blast furnace, coke ovens, raw materials handling facility, sinter plant, power station, Lackenby steelmaking plant, Lackenby coil plate mill complex, South Bank coke ovens and Grangetown torpedo ladle repair facility.