The removal of the huge 1970s-built structure on Wednesday morning is the latest stage of the site clearance since the works closed in 2015 with the loss of thousands of jobs. Crowds gathered to watch the furnace crumble, against the backdrop of the North Sea, in an explosion heard as far away as Hartlepool, around 23 miles away.
The structure, the same height as St Paul's Cathedral and the second highest blast furnace in Europe, dominated the skyline in Redcar since opening in 1979. It was flattened as part of an ongoing programme to clear the steelworks site, which Teesside's Tory mayor Ben Houchen has described as "one of the biggest, most complex and condensed demolition projects ever to take place in the UK".
The casting houses, dust catcher and charge conveyors also came down on Wednesday, following a similarly spectacular demolition of the 213ft (65m) tall Basic Oxygen Steelmaking plant in October. The four giant gas stoves which heated the furnace are set to be demolished next month.
Mr Houchen said the clearance of the site, which used 175kg of explosives, is a vital part of regeneration plans. He said it is now earmarked for the Net Zero Teesside project, which will be the UK's first fully integrated gas-fired power and carbon capture, utilisation and storage project and aims to create thousands of jobs.
1. Going, going gone
Composite image of the Redcar Blast Furnace, Casting Houses, the Dust Catcher and Charge Conveyors, at the former steelworks site which have dominated the Teesside skyline for over four decades, are brought down by controlled explosion. Photo: Danny Lawson
2. Skyline changes
The 365ft (111m) high blast furnace at the former Redcar steelworks has been demolished – changing one of the best known skylines in the North East of England. Photo: Danny Lawson
3. 1970s
The removal of the huge 1970s-built structure on Wednesday morning is the latest stage of the site clearance since the works closed in 2015 with the loss of thousands of jobs. Photo: Danny Lawson
4. Crowds
Crowds gathered to watch the furnace crumble, against the backdrop of the North Sea, in an explosion heard as far away as Hartlepool, around 23 miles away. Photo: Danny Lawson