Demolition of the former Park Elementary School in Laporte, IN was delayed for a short time Monday morning when a backhoe fell through a hole in the concrete floor and into the basement of the building.

Amidst the rubble of the school, located at the corner of First and F streets, the backhoe lay sideways with its lower end puncturing the floor and protruding into the interior of the school’s basement Monday morning.

About four construction workers used a crane to lift the backhoe from the hole at about 9:30 a.m.

Worker James Shoffner was driving the machine when it fell into the hole. According to Shoffner, it leaned over slowly.

“It was no big deal,” he said.

There were no injuries and the backhoe sustained only minor damage.

Park closed as an elementary school in 1984 and was then used by LaPorte Community Schools as a special-education and day-care building. It was sold to Bryon and Karla Eigenmann for $102,500 last year.

The Eigenmanns said they plan to build houses on the site.

Demolition is expected to be complete within the next two weeks, Shoffner said.

Picture