Amtrak implosion set for Sunday at 7:30 a.m.

The City of Philadelphia, Testa Corporation (Main Contractor), and Controlled Demolition, Inc. (CDI – Implosion Subcontractor) of Phoenix, Maryland would like you to be aware that on Sunday, the 15th of November 2009 close to 7:30 AM, the Penn Coach Yard Chimney located near the 30th Street Station will be demolished by implosion. 

Implosion is a process where a small amount of explosives is used to disrupt selected supports in a building.  This allows gravity to pull the structure down in a controlled manner.  CDI has used this implosion method thousands of times around the world during the past 55 years to remove unwanted structures. 

There are three (3) points we would like to make you aware of:

1.Dust is an unpreventable byproduct of all types of demolition.  With a wrecking ball, the chimney is slowly broken up releasing dust over several months.  With implosion, the same overall quantity of dust is released over several seconds, and may linger in the general area for 4 to 6 minutes.  Depending on wind speed and direction on the day of the implosion, the dust may or may not reach your properties.  As a precautionary measure, we recommend that you see that all windows, doors and air intakes are closed, and cover any other openings that might allow dust to enter your apartment, house or building.  We also recommend that you turn off all exhaust fans before or at the time of the implosion as these might draw air in to your building through cracks in walls and windows.

2. Early Sunday morning, the Philadelphia and Amtrak Police Departments will set up a Safety Zone around the chimney.  This is to prevent people from getting too close.  We need your cooperation with the Police to make sure that this is a safe job.  For those persons inside the Safety Zone, we ask that you cooperate with the Police Departments and contractors.  Everything they say to you or ask of you is to minimize inconvenience or to promote safety.

3. The City of Philadelphia and Controlled Demolition, Inc. would like to advise you that there will be heavy dust in the block immediately surrounding the demolition site. Dust may also prevail outside and downwind of the safety zone, depending on weather conditions.  If you find dust uncomfortable or irritating, or if you have any respiratory conditions that would be aggravated by dust, please stay indoors during the demolition.

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