Evening star., 1942-09-27
-Four Of 13 Injured
In Concrete Cave-in
Remain in Hospitals
Two Of Workmen on D. c
Water Department Job
Feared Seriously Hurt


day afternoon in a cave-in of a
large area of wet concrete poured
as the roof slab of District Wate,
Department construction project
near Soldiers Home remained in
hospitals late last night.
Two Of the four still under treat
ment were reported seriously hurt
They are Frank Gregory, a, col
ored, 2l7 F street NV. admitted to
Casualty Hospital with a possible
broken back, and Charles Sharp
81, colored, 1904 P street NV,
treated at Freedmens Hospital for
shock, injuries to the mouth and
left leg and possible internal in
juries.
Still in Emergency Hospital are
Leroy Sullivan, A, colored, 19
Fourth street NE, suffering from
chest injuries and lacerations about
the body, and John Holloway, 81,
colored, 30171a Sherman avenue
NV, injuries to back and left leg
and lacerations to the left eye.
Their conditions were reported not
serious.
Others Hurt In Accident.
The chief clerk OF the project.
Barney Lichtman, AZ, of 16 Chan
ming street NV, was released from
Freedmen's Hospital after treat
ment for possible rib fractures and
possible fracture of the left leg.
John Cieslik, IS. of 903 Taylor
street NE, went home after he had
been treated at Freedmen's for
scalp wounds, a possible fractured
skull and a possible fractured rib.
The following also were treated
at Freedmen's and released:
Bob Mills, water boy, about IL,
colored, 1884 Corcoran street NV
decorations to cheek.
Will Walker, 80, colored, Az K
vtreet NV, severe wound to thigh.
Benjamin Harrison Miles, II, col
ored, 426 M street NV, possible
fractured ribs and left elbow.
George West, 20, colored, Laurel,
Md, scalp injury and possible frac-
tured wrist.
Boyd White, 81, colored, 134 I
street NV, possible fractured hip.
At Casualty Hospital, Gary Burts
A6, colored, 1919 Fifth street NV,
and william Mcintyre, IS, colored,
1901 I street NV, were released
after treatment for cuts and
bruises.
Dig In Wreckage.
At late hour last night a crew
OF men was digging in the wreck
age to determine definitely that all
victims had been removed and to
shovel out the concrete before 1t set
Another group of laborers was
brought from Fort Myer and was
using q compressed air drill to
break up the pile of half-hardened
concrete.
The accident occurred, accord
ing to police and construction men,
when scaffolding beneath the roof
slab gave way over a 1,300-square-
foot area, dropping the men down
into a sea of wet concrete, timber
and steel reinforcements. Five men
employed on the pouring work man
aged to escape the fall One of
them, Frank Suroweickie, job su-
perintendent, clung to a dangling
runway.
Residents of the neighborhood,
attracted by the noise of the cave
in, telephoned police for help and
in q short time all available police
and fire rescue equipment was sent
to the scene. Rescue squads from
nearby Maryland communities and
from Arlington County, Va, also
were summoned.
Victims Are Taken Out.
Victims, coated with the wet con-
crete, were moved out through a
narrow tunnel In the bottom wall
of the project and thence up to
waiting ambulances. Rescuers hur-
riedly shoveled away concrete and
struggled to move timbers and steel
rods in an effort to reach those
pinioned beneath A large derrick
was put into operation to help re-
move the fallen material
The accident occurred shortly
after 2 pm. For nearly an hour
and a half after the first alarm,
the sound of ambulance sirens could
Be heard in that section of the city.
Police blocked surrounding streets
10 traffic from one to two blocks
away from the accident scene in
Ill directions.
After all victims had been re-
moved, labor crews were brought
IN to dig in the debris. This was
done at the insistence of Army Off
cials, who are directing the project
They feared that two sheet metal
workers, R. Griesman, 24l1 First
street NV, and Ray Hornburg, 52S
Third street NE, had been trapped
beneath the concrete.
Hunted Man Appears.
At 4:45 pm, Mr. Griesman ap-
peared at the project and reported
that he and Mr.. Hornburg had left
the job at noon to 60 to another
construction project at the Navy
Yard
1--WE were lucky" Mr.. Griesman
said grimly, looking down at the
twisted mass of steel and timber
I'VE started to stay here and work
We'd have been right down unde,
there working on those columns"
Among those who witnessed the
rescue work or who visited the
scene shortly after the accident were
Commissioner Young, Coroner A
Magruder Macdonald. Supt of Po
lice Edward j. Kelly, Inspector Har
vey G. Callahan. assistant superin
tendent of police, and Inspectors Ir;
E. Keck, James Beckett and A. E
Miller.
Witness Describe Scene.
Mrs. A. Briscoe, living across th
street from the part of the proiec
on which the victims were working
said she was sitting in her from
window at the time and that "it al
seemed like a giant waterfall"
She explained that after concret
Is poured it is covered with water +
aid in setting it.
"T WAS sitting there watching an