Former Cheswick power plant implosion slated for Friday to be rescheduled after court hearing
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- No decision was made during a hearing Wednesday over plans to implode the former boiler house at the old Cheswick power plant in Springdale, but the demolition slated for Friday is now going to have to be rescheduled because of how long the hearing went.
The issue in court was trying to prevent what happened the first time on June 2. That was when the chimneys came down and sent debris flying into people's yards. All those people just learned about this last week, and they were not too happy to learn about another demo on short notice. They want to make sure what happened in June does not happen again.
Sixteen people who live in Springdale filed a lawsuit seeking to halt the plans to implode the former boiler house at the old Cheswick power plant until a ruling is issued.
The emergency motion for a preliminary injunction was filed against Charah Solutions, Controlled Demolition, Grant Mackay Demolition Company and Civil and Environmental Consultants.
The people who filed the lawsuit say they suffered harm due to the implosion of two smoke stacks on June 2. It blew out windows and caused other damage and the suit says some people still can't live in their homes. The plaintiffs also claim the implosion created health issues.
The defense argued this is a smaller structure. It is designed to implode and send the dust in a different way. The defense claims the cost to move the equipment and explosives will cost them more than $750,000.
There are still several witnesses to talk.
"They're not just concerned about property damage or personal property. There's real property to their homes, personal property to all their belongings inside their homes, and then they're worried about their health. The DEP took samples from their homes, their soil, and they found some things that were concerning at levels that were elevated beyond levels they expected and that are appropriate," John Kane said for the plaintiffs.
The defense also argument that was more conditions put on them this time for this demolition permit to make sure what happened in June did not happen again.
Court will reconvene at one on Thursday.
