Groome Factory Demolition

Original newspaper article transcribed by Sarah Gilbert

Factory demolition work is in progress at the premises which were severely damaged by fire at Burton Latimer last April. Top: part of the wall crashes to the ground; above: the 100ft chimney stands out above the diminishing ruins; right: the falling giant-caught in the act.

Falling, according to the engineer in charge, within six inches of the place where he intended it to go, a 100-feet high chimney stack crashed to the ground at Burton Latimer shortly after noon to-day (Tuesday).

The stack formed part of the former factory at the “Old Mill,” Finedon-road, belonging to Messrs. C. E. and H. B. Groome Ltd, which was gutted by fire in April last.

The charred walls of the building and the stack have stood derelict since then, and operations to demolish the walls and stack were started on Monday and continued to-day.

Mr. W. Couzens, an engineer, of London, employed by Imperial Chemical Industies, Ltd, travelled to Burton in order to supervise the use of the explosives used.

He stated that about 100 half-pound shots of gelignite had been used during the destruction of the building. Nine shots were used to bring the chimney down.

“I have been doing this for 33 years,” he said, “and I can guarantee to bring a stack down within six inches of where I want it. This one came down according to plan.”

During the destruction of the walls of the building several small pieces of brick were blown by the force of the explosives on to the road where people were standing, and on Tuesday one spectator was struck on the knee by a piece of flying brick, but was not seriously hurt.