Ashtabula High Smokestack comes down, 12-16-2012

The smokestack of the former Ashtabula High School in Ashtabula, Ohio, came down the morning of Dec. 16, 2012. Watch as the 135-foot-tall stack stubbornly refuses to fall to jack hammers and a fire.

[@THEEJuror13]

A true case of ‘we don’t know what we’re doing’

[@MSWSB]

A lot of beers were being held while these geniuses were at work.

[@ashTHFCley]

Just for one minute, imagine Fred’s reaction 😂😂😂

[@SunofYork]

Fred Dibnah would have had a cig, and then spit, and then gone to the pub... Asking for a 'fag' in the US would have been a bad move coz they don't speak English

[@Winston-lf7sb]

he wouls be astonished any of these ever did this before, and survived

[@geraldstarr9950]

If you listen closely you can hear the spirit of Fred Dibnah laughing his bollocks off.

[@yamantakayamantaka9974]

i looked him up, he's awesome

[@woodennecktie]

at least he knew his tricks , and was not scarse on firewood

[@tomscotland]

Couple of fellas looking for a half day out with the undertakers.

[@brianthesnail3815]

At the end of this we need Fred Dibnah running out of a cloud of soot and brick dust saying 'By eck, that were close!

[@tedf1471]

"Did you like that?" Dear Fred.

[@domolition_garage2607]

Proof that nobody does it better than Fred Dibnah did it

[@IstasPumaNevada]

Fred Dibnah is a wonderful example of survivor bias.

[@laurencecope7083]

Fred would be rolling about laughing his head off.

[@GOLDSMITHEXILE]

I wonder what Fred's first attempt turned out like?

[@alanfromdarwen]

i think someone needs to watch how the late great FRED DIBNAH did this..

[@pradey-nashpainting6727]

If Fred could of seen how bad they did this compared to how he did his!

[@trevortrevortsr2]

I was just thinking the same

[@davidtyndall9604]

Exactly what I was thinking. These guys need to watch another video...LOL

[@AVASTWORLD]

I love that so many remember him

[@IAMPLEDGE]

@@AVASTWORLD who could forget Fred Dibnah? And these demolitions are not the same without Fred's roll up, his fog horn and him asking "did you like that?".

[@stevenbiars4817]

Should have cut a good bit farther around the stack. It needs to very closely approximate or surpass 50% Also, if that stack were bearing down on the timbers, you wouldn't be able to jab them with a plank. They'd have a few ton each riding on them.

[@utube1818]

what was the point of burning the timber, even if they had done it correctly they never gave the timbers a chance to burn through.

[@paulnicholls8683]

So right. Specialists at the job. No. Jackhammer and a 2 by 8

[@brianwalmsley447]

Fred can't believe it the guys need to watch Fred's video's to watch how it's done 👍🔥

[@falmark187]

Fred would have said “that job was done by so called Steeplejacks”

[@mercoid]

Fred would always build a huge fire. Seemingly more than was needed, but he knew what he was doing

[@guinness38]

I came here to at this. Fred didn't start the fire then go poking because he had misjudged the job.

[@IAMPLEDGE]

@@guinness38 Nope, his fires were big enough to crack the cement and weaken the bricks some more and he weakened the structure more, propping it up on better wood than the sticks these guys were using. Also I couldn't see a plumb line set up anywhere. It wasn't by luck that Fred knew when these were about to fall.

[@paulburns1333]

Not really. I've seen him scrambling out the way as a chimney randomly fell, he got away with murder as well.

[@stevehoward3049]

I think they should have had more fuel available for the fire. The fire they made didn't produce enough heat to break down the mortar at the break points on both sides of the notch. Continuing to jackhammer at these pressure points was very risky for the operator. The wall could have broke out and struck him when the smoke stack started to collapse. A bigger fire would have allowed the workers to stand clear when the chimney dropped.

[@alanmcewen6750]

To see how smokestacks are correctly and expertly demolished read this amazing book: FRED DIBNAH'S CHIMNEY DROPS. Published by Sledgehammer press.

[@donnebes9421]

1:40 this can’t possibly be the most advanced technology we have to bring down that silo.

[@ethanhoward389]

you should see the technology they used to build it a century and a half ago

[@jibjab351]

So they put the wooden props in,set fire to them ,the fire goes out so they knock the props out with a plank.It still does not fall so they get the jack hammer out again then presumably run like hell when it does fall. What a bunch of amateurs, Fred would be turning in his grave.

[@Stonka1]

I'm only here for the Fred Dibnah comments 😏

[@tomroland2315]

me too

[@jordyoomen9025]

Yes me too

[@spacexfan1281]

Who TF is hi

[@DrBovdin]

Saw the video recommended now for some reason, didn’t scroll to the comments first. After seeing the comedy, I went for the Dibnah comments.

[@toypupanbai3544]

Where's Fred Dibnah when his expertise is so needed?

[@edwardjonez6615]

YES FRED would tell the blokes it's a bloody ROTTEN job ..like..

[@super6954]

or stand there watching the white crosses drawn on the chimney while smoking saying "it's going", he'd run like hell, and there would be the sounding of his trademark horn. then when its all over say "did ya like that" with that big smile. I met him once with his steam engine at a show. He was an amazing guy it's a shame he died of Cancer in the end.All his remaining stuff got sold recently from his yard. With all the current safety regulations he'd never be able to work like that now either, but he'd still have many more good true stories to tell us.

[@MrCOUNTYCORK]

Fred is turning in his grave watching that lot , his words, lunatics like

[@Mercmad]

And Fred would have had a real fire burning with a guage in the other side to indicate angle and movement.

[@matthewfoster6620]

I could hear Fred laughing in the background

[@ronnieg6358]

Are there any pictures of these chimneys being built?

[@mikaelabowen5781]

When a Dibnah is so badly needed!

[@mitchjones2821]

Yeah, Fred would stack about 3 demo’d houses worth of wood at the base to make one large and very very hot fast burning fire so pier poles/telephones poles (not 4x4’s) would burn fast and even. Also woulda taken another 3’ out for the opening.

[@TeaBagggg]

I’m now in the destroying stuff part of KZbin

[@gazza1136]

Rip fred. You was a legend. If these clowns continue to do it there way, they will surely be joining you soon!!!

[@MegaChaos91]

their way*

[@googant.v5160]

Dude running the show is literally the dumbest fuck I have ever met.

[@marekgregory4512]

Amateurs....."Half a day out with the undertakers" as Fred would say.....

[@anttiahonen7828]

HM

[@scottmarquis7624]

"Did you liike that"...

[@pauldzim]

I'm sure those hard hats would have protected them had anything gone wrong

[@stevethegreasemonkey]

The hard hats aren't going to stop them from getting a shorter neck

[@garethowen8730]

How's that bloke manage to live so long? Just shows how skilful Fred was maybe some one should send him a Fred Dibnah boxset.

[@paulkandi]

Freds way was meticulous and very skilled craftsman, he was a builder and engineer, and knew exactly the way to do the job, safely and never had one go wrong, these guys are playing with death and should never be allowed to this job...

[@IstasPumaNevada]

Fred Dibnah's fame is survivor bias defined.

[@ericchapman399]

Reminds me of the old Swiss proverb "Silly people always lucky". These guys just proved it.

[@lbaldylocks6681]

I do wonder why a high school would need a 135 foot brick chimney. Unless there was a mill attached?

[@philredbud3589]

After this, the guy changed his name to Todd Hoffman and became a "gold miner" on Discovery with his dad Santa

[@elektricTV]

А, как вы автор сделали, что комментарии переводятся на русский? Я вот по английски пишу комментарий - он английский и остаётся. Без подменю "перевести".

[@errorsk2188]

I was like, there is no way one plank was holding it up.

[@vstrom9586]

So you set the wood on fire , then knock it out before they burn

[@williammorton8555]

Fred Dibnah would have a Very colourful description of this foolishness.

[@carlsmith4568]

Ashtabula, what a town.

[@anythingoldmechanical]

A very poor and clueless imitation of the late and great Fred Dibnah.

[@NagendraKumar-to9il]

.

[@jjtrades7186]

These are the kinds of videos that keep OSHA awake at night

[@adrianoleuzzi2217]

Ottimo lavoro, con molta suspence finale! Bravi.

[@jahzd4028]

DID THE BRICKS DIE?

[@joshua7999]

Now how is the smoke supposed to get out?

[@tcod3137]

Very good😂😂

[@stevehoward3541]

"Sure I can take that smokestack down for couple hundred bucks and a case of beer man".

[@kelly6739]

I take it these cowboys have never watched a real pro like Fred Dibnah.

[@quienvive675]

This story could have ended this way, "He died doing what he loved to do."

[@esuohdica]

Fred would have scored this pretty low! but probably had a good laugh too.

[@chieftp]

why do people keep destroying these majestic brick smoke stacks???? there aren't many left.

[@Gr8thxAlot]

They serve no purpose, cost money to maintain, and they might be a hazard. The schools here are now geothermal, so zero exhaust. It's crazy to think about. My schools had stacks like these. I assume for coal or oil back then.

[@saxocoustic]

Fred would be rolling on the floor with laughter watching this - that's not a chimney - see Fred Dibneys videos to see a real chimney

[@Caver461]

Wonder what OHSA would have to say about those practices?

[@bg147]

What is the point of using props and burning them if the guy is going to stand right there and knock them out by hand. It removes the safety cushion. Fred never needed to wrap bands around the stack. Plus, I think he removed more than 180 degrees of bricks

[@percival23]

When your budget is 50 bucks to knock down a chimney ...this is what it looks like.

[@jonkiddart5706]

They obviously haven't the foggiest idea about what they are doing, and that's just a toy chimney compared with the monsters that Fred brought down 😬

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

This has got to be one of the most dangerous chimney demolitions that I have ever seen. Just use explosives guys and everybody can be at a safe distance.

[@lt4324]

Possibly just a small company with no explosive experience and may not be certified to get that type of license or permits for using explosives.

[@BoratWanksta]

I also thought too why were they not using explosives, to tear down this chimney as well? At least noone was killed when this chimney fell, but to me this seems like not the best method to demolish this chimney.

[@isilder]

The problem is that the stack is not symmetrical. It didn't want to lean in that direction. It wanted to go in the direction it finally fell in. Cutting notches doesn't set the direction because brick & mortar has no compression..

[@DenzelLN936]

You mean tension......

[@master_Blaster91]

Go watch fred Dibnah

[@sweetwaterbowworks9575]

What was the chimney used for?

[@SA-qg2bv]

smoke

[@peterbarlow8912]

That’s old school burning out temporary props when felling a chimney. Notch needs to be well past halfway. These days you could just cable pull the temporary props out with a machine. Also pull the chimney with another long cable up as high as you could attach it. Timber!!!😂

[@johnhuwroberts7766]

Fred Dibnah would laugh at you. What and learn from the master. RIP Fred!

[@WCMT89]

Towd fred dibnah wudda had it down in no time, from what I've seen of him doing this same technique the fire needs to be allot bigger. It was obvious it wasnt gonna topple over when he knocked the wood away, and that's why it was obviously of the weight of that chimney was resting of them blocks he wudnt have been able to knock them out

[@hubbahubba3166]

"A helmet a day keeps you from dead every day!"

[@IAMPLEDGE]

yep. As if a helmet is going to help if you drop a chimney on your head! Flat cap is what's required.

[@Skankhunter420]

Awesome!

[@grsymes]

He's no Fred

[@mwgary]

Not up to Fred’s standards. Bunch of incompetents.

[@alexanderleeart]

why does a high school need a 135-foot smoke stack?

[@peterstepanov8062]

For coal-powered heating, perhaps

[@zimmerei-maltegelhorn7538]

Maybe they just wanted to have one for aesthetic Reason?

[@BuildersLondon]

Pneumatic (compressed air)are much better than electrical Demolition Breakers, a company from Sweden used to supply our drilling bits

[@willfishing5605]

pretty crazy how much weight a half-burnt 2x4 can hold

[@gushollahbackatya1765]

Seriously ?? "Peck at it with this 2x6 for a while".... How f*cking stupid...

[@billbright1755]

U.S.S. Ashtabula AO 51 twelve battle stars, eight campaign stars. Sparrows Point Maryland. Jumboized, San Pedro California. Home port Long Beach California.

[@paddyboy557]

Well how did you like that

[@johnnyholland8765]

Million dollar question...... How many bricks were in that structure

[@SmashGhost]

Catch it on fire? SET it ALIGHT.

[@sunnavailable]

Nice job! I thought it would come down with damage.

[@4sl648]

Whats holding it up? Habit.

[@ssmt2]

And another piece of America's industrial past comes crashing down.

[@mercoid]

Yes. We’d rather buy from other countries. American workers want too much compensation and benefits for the meager manufacturing jobs we big corporations need performed to produce our products. Also there are strict government regulations and penalties in place regarding pollution. And the taxes...! Don’t forget the taxes! But even when we get a tax break, we still prefer to keep our operations overseas. Because we don’t want to pay the American workers. It’s a “win win” for us, the big corporations. That sleazy womanizer coke fiend Bill Clinton was actually right when he was constantly saying, “America! The economy is changing drastic ways. You must take it upon yourselves to retrain for this new economy. This is urgent” ....Nobody listened. They decided to keep living the Go to the factory and get a paycheck lifestyle, thinking it would never end. So 25 years later they’re all PO’d about their lives and looking for people to blame. Then their con-man hero Trump appears to make it all better.

[@DrumWild]

@@mercoid You're SO CLOSE to getting it right. It's not that we would RATHER buy from other countries. It's just that this is typically the only option. American workers want "too much compensation" because the rent it too high! Prices are too high! American businesses made the conscious decision to STOP being the bedrock of American communities and move their operations overseas, so that they could exploit slave labor for additional profits. Why would they do that? They also live in America, and the rent is too high. We are priced out of the market. That's why so many Americans are homeless. And you not only missed the point, but sadly too many Americans simply are not educated enough to understand basic economics.

[@dtapx5835]

@@mercoid Americans dont want "too much" compensation? They want a living fucking wage. Neoliberalism is the problem....plain and simple...dont get it twisted. Reagan and Thatcher.

[@paulsharp3865]

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Fred Dibnah yet.

[@stanwamberg]

OSHA to them is just a small town in Wisconsin. But at least they have hard hats on. Ha, and the burning props: well it worked in my dream. How a high school custodial staff takes down a stack.

[@mercoid]

Why is this guy poking out the timbers with a board? Isn’t it the idea that the timbers support the structure and burning them out then causes the structure to collapse? Also, how did they expect the timbers to burn by just putting a blowtorch to them. As Fred did it, he would add all sorts of debris around the timbers to fuel the fire. What these guys are doing, is complete nonsense.

[@michaelanderson9792]

how many bricks stayed whole unbroken?

[@adnaankhaan1204]

Allah Pak bless you dear bro 😊

[@bar62on]

Классика жанра- сразу 55% вырубать страшно , пеньки сожгли , труба не падает. Дорубаем уже без пеньков, добираем адреналин , который попытались сэкономить.

[@robread-jones3698]

Damn, that's the noisiest woodpecker I ever heard.

[@badboytwig]

Poor old Fred Dibnah would be having a fit ....

[@Nokku]

Howe do thay circl the briks

[@philredbud3589]

They build out of breeze block sized bricks then get these demo guys to chip them into circles, simples ;o)

[@natasharobichaud]

Fred's quote: 3 months 12,000. These guys.. Be down tomorrow 1,000

[@jacobjohnson3200]

You know bricks are 'forged' in fire, right?

[@married-a_crazychickenlady]

"off to the pub with you amateurs" -Fred probably

[@1946luke]

I wonder why they don't just leave old smokestacks standing, instead of going to all the trouble of knocking them down ?

[@n.jayhigley522]

Really annoys me that it took so long to get a new high school built in Ashtabula. Would have been nice if myself and the rest of the Class of '97 had been able to go to a shiny new school like Lakeside, instead of a decaying, rotting dump like AHS and Harbor.

[@mr.pacman1921]

Hey who is fred dibnah

[@holls1127]

I would not have wanted to be the one at the bottom of it....all I could think of when watching it was GET out of the way!! LOL

[@damselnlace44]

OMG!!!! Surprise the other guy wasn't pushing on it as he jack hammered the bricks.

[@andy199121]

was there any point even putting the sticks in and setting them on fire? Amateur as

[@Niamhcotts]

Not the way to do it.

[@Paul_Wetor]

They sure knew how to build chimneys back in the day. And this one was made out of bricks. There's hardly any dust compared to a concrete chimney takedown.

[@iceman7975]

Just shows how skilful and talented Fred Dibnah was compared to these amateurs. Fred even checked his wooden props to see if they were straight and plumb. What a legend !!!!

[@Leukefilms]

My coughing chimney is a creepy guy😰: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYrEcmODn8xkm9U

[@super6954]

I'm sitting here now in Canada after years living in England watching the master doing this( Fred Dibnah) Thinking you guys don't have anywhere near enough bricks out/ propped enough. Then we get half wit with a tiger torch and a 2x6 knocking the supports out, guess what I was right it didn't fall over. You clowns were bloody lucky that thing never crumbled and came straight down vertically killing you both in the pile. Fred is spinning in his grave watching you do this, Worse is I bet you probably watched his video clips before bidding $500 cash for this job. Fred probably would of bid that to, the difference was in the early 80's and 90's of Freds heydays working 500 cash could buy you a master at his job to do it !

[@AnatoliiReshetnikov]

Классная работа!

[@VovanGT90]

Техника безопасности на высшем уровне!

[@robertmendick3195]

Astabula used to have a monster coal pile

[@johnnychicago9220]

maybe that guy was being punished for something

[@joecat916]

Spiderweb lattice of heavy cable very heavy loader with a strong winch even than it ain't safe.

[@christiangibbs8534]

I'm confused: Can anyone tell me what he purpose of the fire was?

[@geoffreylee5199]

Lack of Safety makes this scary!