Watch New Bedford's Landmark 'Cigarette' Smokestack Come Down

NEW BEDFORD — Three...two...one...liftoff! Or, more accurately, crashdown?

That's what New Bedford residents saw on the waterfront on Friday morning, as the city's landmark 'cigarette' smokestack came down in a scheduled implosion.

Mayor Jon Mitchell posted a video of the well-known tower falling as part of the demolition of the former Eversource power plant off MacArthur Drive just south of the downtown area.

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The demolition is part of the construction of New Bedford's Foss Marine Terminal, a project that was announced in 2021.

It had previously been scheduled for December, but the implosion was postponed due to insurance issues.

The Foss Marine Terminal will be mostly used as an offshore wind industrial facility, but also includes space for seafood offloading and other marine commercial activities.

A few acres next to the downtown area have also been sold to the city for a mixed-use commercial district, which will likely include new restaurants, shops, and offices.

Work on the terminal is expected to end sometime this spring.

The tower's implosion caused a brief precautionary closure of parts of Rt. 18 and MacArthur Drive on Friday morning.

Mitchell noted in his video post that the Foss Maritime Terminal will be one of the city's many offshore wind facilities.

Watch the mayor's video:

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