The Region - News from April 28, 1987

A falling crane crushed its designer in the Harbor City area. The accident took place in the yard of the Battaglia Marble Co. in the 25000 block of Vermont Ave. near the Harbor Freeway. Los Angeles Police Detective Larry Kallestad said the man, 49, had come to the United States from Italy in March to set up an overhead crane in the yard of the marble firm. A “weight change” caused the partly erected crane to fall, according to the detective. The crane operator managed to leap clear and escaped injury, but the crane’s designer, who was directing the operation, was caught between the crane and a stack of marble slabs. Identification of the dead man was withheld pending notification of relatives.