Alaska’s tallest structure, Seward Peninsula LORAN tower, is felled with controlled explosives

Coast Guard takes down Alaska’s tallest structure

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Coast Guard has knocked down Alaska’s tallest structure.

The agency and a private explosives company on Wednesday used controlled explosives to demolish a 1,350-foot Long Range Aids to Navigation tower on the Seward Peninsula.

The tower was at the Coast Guard LORAN station at Port Clarence about 70 miles northwest of Nome.

It was tallest tower of its kind in the country.

A Coast Guard spokesman says the tower was deteriorating and at risk of collapse.

The agency says the Alaska Public TeleCommunications tower in Knik 30 miles north of Anchorage is now the state’s tallest structure at 808 feet.