ST. PETERSBURG --

After more than 50 years towering over Tampa Bay and being used as a landmark for boaters, the old Bartow Steam Power Plant smokestacks on Weedon Island came to a thundering, explosive end Tuesday morning.



Progress Energy imploded the three 300 ft. stacks and two 180 ft. power plants at 10 a.m. in north St. Petersburg.



The implosion was a controlled situation with experts on site who controlled the implosion with explosives, according to Progress Energy spokesperson Suzanne Grant said.



The structures had been sitting idle since the new plant on adjacent property went online in June of 2009.



Demolition was stalled last year when a welder was killed after one of the power plants collapsed prematurely.



The implosion process took roughly 10 seconds. Grant compared the implosion the sounds made to a rock concert or a loud motorcycle passing.