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Sixth explosion at Tilbury Power Station

An explosion shook Gravesend this morning as demolition work continued at Tilbury Power Station.

At about 8am the sixth explosive demolition took place at the disused power station across the River Thames in Essex.

The controlled demolition simultaneously brought down a section of high level ducting and central conveyor.

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The skyline will change forever when the two chimneys come down. Picture: Gary Browne
The skyline will change forever when the two chimneys come down. Picture: Gary Browne

The conveyor was a steel structure about 65m long, 30m high and 6m wide.

Several people contacted KentOnline and our sister paper the Gravesend Messenger to report hearing the loud explosion.

Robert Hunt said he heard a "huge bang" and felt the ground shake.

One person said they heard it as far away as New Barn, near Longfield.

VIDEO: The biggest explosion took place in September

The last explosion took place last month when the northern end of the de-aeration bay and the conditioning and storage bunker were destroyed and in July the southern end of the remaining turbine hall came down.

Three of four steel structures known as precipitators were destroyed in a small explosion in June, half the turbine hall was demolished in April and a large explosion in September brought down one of the 28m-high coal junction towers.

The other main structures such as the chimneys are scheduled for explosive demolition later this month.

The complete demolition of the site is expected towards the end of 2018.

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