The chimney is in worse condition than first thought and while the damaged top section was marked for deconstruction, the Dunedin City Council said today there was a ‘‘risk of collapse’’ when that work started.
Property services group manager Anna Nilsen said contactors were working to shore up the chimney before deconstruction was expected to begin tomorrow.
Initially, the top 4m to 6m of the chimney would come down and then the situation reassessed.
‘‘We're trying to save as much of the chimney as possible and deconstruct as little as possible,’’ she said.
The bricks would be removed by hand, catalogued and stored, and it was hoped they could be used for reconstruction in the future.
‘‘But for now, it's about keeping everybody safe and deconstructing as little as we are able to.’’
The 25-m tall brick chimney was damaged by an earthquake in March which aggravated existing cracks in its top section.
Its poor condition meant supports would be installed to secure the structure and allow contractors to deconstruct it safely, Ms Nilsen said in an earlier statement.
‘‘In addition to the cracks and movement within the structure we already knew about, there is significant localised damage in the upper sections of the chimney that pose a risk of collapse once we start work.”
Ms Nilsen said the focus was on ensuring a safe deconstruction of the chimney and mitigating the risk of an uncontrolled collapse.
“We remain committed to saving as much of the chimney as possible, but it’s a complex job and public safety is the top priority.”
Ms Nilsen said the DCC was working closely with the Dunedin Gasworks Museum Trust.
