Property owner halts Friday’s implosion as injunction hearing continues Thursday

SPRINGDALE, Pa. — It’s a small step as Springdale residents hope for a big win. A lawsuit against the companies involved in the second implosion at the former Cheswick power plant has led to the ownership company putting a pause on Friday’s planned implosion.

It was the thud of smokestacks crashing to the ground in June that set Wednesday’s court proceedings into motion.

As dust covered blocks of Springdale and Cheswick, the companies involved face 16 ongoing violations for the damage to nearly a dozen properties.

Residents concerned about more damage and potential health impacts from a second implosion of the Boiler House at the power plant filed an emergency injunction to stop the implosion.

It’s not clear where the judge will land as he hears from DEP, residents, demolition company and health department on the impacts.

Defense attorneys are saying these two implosions are structurally different and shouldn’t be compared, but residents said the last one didn’t go as planned so why should this one.

But now due to the hearing coming down to the wire, less than 48 hours before the planned implosion, the companies are going to reschedule as they wait for the judge’s decision which could come later this week.

The hearing will continue at 1 p.m. on Thursday in Civil Court.

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