Another of Ballymun's famous towers will be reduced to rubble tomorrow morning as the latest phase of the area's €2.5 billion regeneration continues.
At 10am the 15-storey Seán McDermott tower will be demolished by around 60kg of explosives inserted into hundreds of shot holes spread throughout the structure. If all goes to plan, the controlled implosion will bring 8,500 tonnes of concrete, metal and glass crashing down in five seconds.
An 85mto 100m exclusion zone has been established around the tower, controlled by private security guards as well as gardaí. All salvagable items have been removed from the building including, it is thought, the lift motors which can be reused.
Gardaí say traffic diversions will be in place in the area from 9am. The Ballymun Road from Collins Avenue to Ballymun Cross will be closed until around half hour after the demolition has taken place. The slip road onto Ballymun Road at Balcurris Road will also be closed. Gardaí have advised motorists to take alternative routes.
"Viewing the demolition from the perimeter of the exclusion zone is perfectly safe. However, there will be a significant dust cloud after the explosion, and it is recommended that individuals with breathing difficulties should stay indoors," said Eamon Farrelly of Ballymun Regeneration Ltd.
Last July the first of the seven towers in Ballymun was demolished, and over the next five years the remainder will also be razed and replaced with 5,000 new homes in a mix of two-, three- and four-storey units.
It is hoped more than 2,000 of those homes will be completed by November 2005. Of these, just over half will be replacement housing for families in the flats. In addition, 8 per cent will be voluntary/affordable homes and 39 per cent will be private housing.