Want this job? React fast? Taking down smoke stack.

[Spinnor]

BBC had video clip of a worker presumably weakening a tall smoke stack. Looks somewhat dangerous. See,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaR4cjqJ3Is#t=21

Why weaken it? Why not just use explosives?

 

[Travis_King]

Ease of cleanup (as it falls in a nice line, instead of a giant pile) and predictability in how it will fall (so it doesn't crush nearby buildings/walls/etc. Plus it's cheaper than designing and executing a controlled explosion.

 

[AlephZero]

Looks somewhat dangerous.

People have been cutting down big trees that that was for thousands of years. It's only dangerous if you do it wrong ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JteV8r8YnN0