Pennsylvania appeals court rules Springdale boiler house can be imploded
SPRINGDALE, Pa. (KDKA) -- A state appeals court has cleared the way for an old boiler house in Springdale to be imploded.
Some community members tried to stop it after an implosion last year caused damage to homes.
In 2023, the company that owns the old Springdale power plant took down two massive smokestacks. The result was a lot of damage to buildings.
Now, residents have been told the rest of the power plant has to come down. The courts initially said it wasn't happening, but the company appealed the decision, and the state Superior Court said they could take it down.
Looming over Springdale like a dusty and dirty old giant, the boiler house at the decommissioned Springdale generating station is next in line to hit the ground. Whenever the implosion happens, residents hope it goes a lot smoother than last time.
"[It was] pretty bad. I mean, it made a big mess and it was terrifying," Springdale homeowner Ben Winfield said.
"I was honestly scared. I had a bunch of people on my roof over to watch," fellow resident Colleen Marsili said.
Winfield and Marsili live in an area that saw significant damage after the plant's owner, CPERG, dropped two of the old power plant's smokestacks in June 2023, resulting in serious damage and the neighborhood blanked with potentially toxic debris and dust.
"That didn't fall correctly. Instantly, I knew it was wrong. I thought it would collapse and then fall. It just fell straight over," Marsili said.
That implosion left several homes condemned. A group of citizens filed an injunction in Allegheny County's Court of Common Pleas to keep the boiler part of the plant from being demolished, and Judge John McVay Jr. granted the request.
The plant owner appealed, and the state Superior Court sided with the company on Tuesday.
"It makes me concerned. Does the Superior Court care about me and the people of this town and our health?" Winfield said.
"Horrible. It is absolutely horrible," Marsili added.
KDKA-TV is awaiting a response after contacting the lawyer representing the citizen group and the company for their takes on the court ruling. No new demolition date has been announced.
