Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Arlington County Employee Electrocuted at Repair Site
- Long-time employee had served County for 24 years
- Second employee seriously injured; in hospital
- Residents asked to conserve water
ARLINGTON, Va. – James Bea, 59, a long-time Arlington County employee, died today after he was electrocuted while working at a water main repair site in north Arlington. A second employee suffered electrical burns.
Safety officials say the workers came into contact with a power line around 8:40 a.m. as they removed lighting at the site on Old Glebe Road between North Dittmar Road and North Glebe Road, where a water main broke Monday. The lighting had helped crews work through the night to repair the broken pipe.
Both men worked for the County's Water, Sewer and Streets Bureau in the Department of Environmental Services. Bea had worked for the County for 24 years. The injured man, whose name is being withheld to protect his privacy, was transported by Medstar to an area hospital.
“On this very sad day for Arlington County and County government, we mourn with the Bea family and hope for the speedy and complete recovery of our injured worker,” said Dep. County Manager Marsha Allgeier. “The County already is working with Virginia OSHA to investigate this accident and to determine its cause. This is a tragic reminder for us all, on Thanksgiving eve, that every day, County workers do difficult and sometimes dangerous work to keep this community running."
Power cut to facilitate rescue
Power was cut to approximately 1,000 homes in the area to allow rescue crews to approach the scene. Traffic in the area was restricted. Power to the homes has since been restored.
Crews believed that they had repaired the 36-inch water main Tuesday and were performing follow-up operations when the accident occurred. The Arlington County Police Department and Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Administration are jointly investigating the cause of the accident.
Work on water main continues
New cracks have opened in the repaired pipe today and work continues to repair the water main. The County is deploying every available resource to repair the pipe, which feeds a large cistern that supplies water throughout north Arlington.
“We don’t know yet the extent of repairs that will have to be made,” said Robert Griffin, director of the County’s Department of Environmental Services. “Drinking water remains completely safe, but the water level in our cistern is low and we ask residents to restrict their water usage until further notice.”
>>View water conservation tips.
Arlington, Va., is a world-class residential, business and tourist location that was originally part of the "10 miles square" parcel of land surveyed in 1791 to be the Nation's Capital. It is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the United States, occupying slightly less than 26 square miles. Arlington maintains a rich variety of stable neighborhoods, quality schools and enlightened land use, and received the Environmental Protection Agency's highest award for "Smart Growth" in 2002. Home to some of the most influential organizations in the world - including the Pentagon - Arlington stands out as one of America's preeminent places to live, visit and do business.
