What was the loud explosion in Hartlepool? Mystery of big bang heard across Hartlepool solved

Residents including Radio Tees DJ Neil Green took to social media after the sound of a loud explosion ripped through the town this afternoon.

A number of people said they believed it had come from the direction of Able UK’s site in Tees Road - and they have now been confirmed to be correct.

The sound was that of a controlled explosion as part of a contract the firm is carrying out to demolish gas rigs from the Sable Island field off Canada.

The Sable Decommissioning Project involves the recycling of 48,000 tons of topsides and jackets that formed the ExxonMobil-operated Sable Offshore Energy Project natural gas field.

An Able UK spokesman said: “It was a controlled explosion as part of demolition work on platforms from the Sable Island contract.”

A Cleveland Fire and Rescue Service spokesman confirmed the brigade had been informed in advance.

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