Crane used to rescue man with broken leg from Long Beach Superblock site, city says

Rescuers on Thursday used a crane to lower a man with a broken leg at the oceanfront construction project known as the Long Beach Superblock complex, according to a city spokesman.

The man was rescued from one of the buildings under construction — five stories up — and the operation involved firefighting counterparts from nearby Freeport, Rockville Centre and North Bellmore, according to the spokesman, John McNally.

The man, whose name, age and occupation weren’t disclosed, was stabilized, given pain medicine, “then placed in a basket stretcher and removed to the ground using an on site construction crane,” an email from McNally said. The man was brought by ambulance to Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital in Oceanside in stable condition.

Once completed, the Superblock complex will include 238 apartments and 200 oceanfront condominiums, between Long Beach and Riverside boulevards. Construction is slated to be finished end of 2024. The complex will eventually be two nine-story buildings and a 10-story building. The plans include a boardwalk-level private swimming pool, as well as 6,500-square feet of restaurant and commercial space.

Developer Engel Burman, of Jericho, was not immediately available for comment.

Gary Lewi, the developer’s outside spokesman, said the man injured was a construction worker, and the incident happened on the fourth floor (the fifth floor is about to have its concrete poured as early as tomorrow).

“Work is continuing. There is a full-time safety inspection team on site, and obviously this will be reviewed by them.” Lewi said that eyewitnesses said the injury appeared to be an ankle injury, not a broken leg.

“If there’s a subsequent diagnosis in the hospital, that’s really for the hospital to determine,” he said.

By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.