93-year-old ‘Mighty Marysville’ power plant imploded

The DTE Energy plant in Marysville, Michigan – known as the “Mighty Marysville” – had stood for more than 90 years and had become a local landmark.

The destruction of this unused power plant, a few 55 miles to the northeast of Detroit was planned and attracted spectators on either side of St. Clair River that separates Ontario, Canada and Michigan. Several thousand people in Canada and the US were watching the towering smokestacks as the power plant collapsed among plenty of dust and noise.

“Wow! That’s about it”, stated Christy Greenlaw after the blast, which lasted roughly 20 seconds.

It began at 8am with hundreds of spectators lining the Canadian side of the St. Clair River on River Rd.

A resident of Marysville, Becky Brougham, said to the Times-Herald that the building has been there for such a long time that all the residents are used to seeing it. “Hopefully, the city will do something nice with it”, she said. “It was odd”, he said, “because a lot of people were clapping, and other people looked like they were kind of sad”.

But nothing will be as spectacular as the Mighty Marysville.

Marysville city officials unveiled the development plan in mid-October, showing off a proposal with a five-story hotel, restaurants, riverfront promenade, park and marina.