An explosive opening for Commonwealth Games

UK demolition contractor Safedem will engineer a major element of the July 23 opening ceremony for the 2014 Commonwealth Games being held in Glasgow, UK, when five of the remaining six 30 storey, 89 m (292 ft) high Red Road multi-storey tower blocks will simultaneously be brought down using explosives. The implosion will be broadcast to a 100 m TV screen at Celtic Park football ground and also around the world. Some 1,250 kg (2,750 lb) of explosive charges will be required to bring down the five structures in an expected 15 seconds.

William Sinclair, Safedem managing director, current NFDC president, and the company’s explosive specialist, currently assessing potential projects overseas in South Africa and Hong Kong, told D&Ri: “The success of the two previous explosive demolitions we carried out at Red Road, Petershill Drive and Birnie Court, meant that we had always intended that subsequent demolition work at the site would consist of the simultaneous implosion of multiple blocks. So it is very much a case of business as usual despite the somewhat unusual circumstances.”

Some 900 nearby homes will have to be evacuated for the blasts, which will be coordinated by Safedem. William said: “Safedem's job is to bring these five blocks down safely and successfully. To achieve this we will be implementing our tried and tested planning and coordination procedures, and will work closely with key organisations at each and every step of the planning process.”

The eight tower blocks were built between 1964 and 1969 and were among the highest structures in Europe. They were intended to house 4,700 people but in recent years, far fewer people were in residence after decades of decline.

The project will be a highlight at the 2014 World Demolition Summit in Amsterdam on November 2014, when William will discuss the challenges and details of the implosion for the first time during the technical conference that forms part of the event.