Updated

Crane drops section of modular home in West End

No injuries or major damage after unit 'slid' off trailer

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A modular unit that was being installed on Pennsylvania Avenue fell to the street as it was being lifted.

A section of a modular home that was in the process of being lifted by a crane in the West End broke loose on Friday and crashed to the street.

The incident occurred just after noon at 93 Pennsylvania Avenue where workers were installing a new modular home on the property and replacing a house that was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy.

The 11 by 20 foot section of the modular home was being lifted from a flatbed trailer, when it “slid” and hit the ground. Three sections of the home had already been installed, and the crane was lifting the final unit into place, according to Long Beach Building Commissioner Scott Kemins.

Long Beach police and firefighters responded to the scene; police said no injuries were reported and no criminality was involved. Police said the contractor in charge of the project, Long Beach-based Hewlett Partners LLC, had the proper permits.

“All contractors were fully licensed and insured,” said LBPD spokesman Lt. Mark Stark.

Stark said the unit had shifted from the trailer during the lift, tumbled onto the street and damaged a fence at 92 and 94 Pennsylvania across the street.

Kemins and Stark said no violations were issued, though Stark said representatives from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration also responded to the scene to conduct its own investigation.

Pennsylvania, between West Park Avenue and West Beech Street, remained closed to traffic as workers refitted the fallen unit to the crane.

Kemins said that about 100 modular homes are being built throughout Long Beach in the aftermath of Sandy, in addition to homes that are either being elevated or completely rebuilt.

“It was an unfortunate accident, and with all of the construction going on, if that’s the worst [incident], we’re lucky,” said Kemins, who added that Hewlett Partners has a good record. “This is the first time anything like this has happened, and lucky enough [the modular unit] was just coming off the trailer and wasn’t high off the air. The call sounded a lot worse when it first came in. [Hewlett Partners] has a clean record and they’re doing more modulars in town than anyone else and we've never had an issue with them.”

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