Evening star., 1942-09-26
IS BURIED BY TONS OF CONCRETE; Is DUG OUT
Floor Crashes,
Dropping Men
ntoCement
Dozens of AmbuIonces
Called to Project
Near Soldiers Home

At least 13 men were injured
this afternoon when a 1900
square foot area of wet concrete
collapsed on a District Water
Department construction project
near the Soldiers Home.
The men were buried under-or
pitched into-a sea of wet concrete
when the form into which it was
being poured caved in. At least
two of those injured were in criti-
cal condition.
All available police and fire rescue
equipment in che city was sent to
the scene and rescue squads from
ne1by Maryland towns were sum-
moned~
Floor Buckles Suddenly.
Police said concrete was being
poured into form. which was sup
ported from below by wood and
steel. At least two men were work.
ing under the flooring on which the
concrete was being poured, while
the rest were working on top.
The flooring gave way suddenly.
The men underneath were covered
with concrete, while many of those
working on top were dragged down.
Rescuers moved in to extricate
those trapped. 1t was necessary
to take most of the injured out
through a narrow tunnel. The men
dragged out of the debris were
covered with concrete and mud.
Eight of the injured we're taken
to Freedmen's Hospital, while three
were admitted to Casualty. Among
those admitted to Casualty was
Frank Gregory, A, colored, 2l7 F
street NV, who was under treat
ment for possible fractured back,
Woman Describes Scene.
Mrs. A. Briscoe, living near the
scene of the accident, said she was
sitting in her front window at the
time and that 'it all seemed like
a giant waterfall"
She explained that after concrete
IS poured on the project, consider
able water is poured upon it.
I was sitting there and I sud-
denly saw what seemed to be a
whole lot of water going on the con-
crete" Mrs Briscoe said. "I won-
dered why they were putting so
much on it, but just as suddenly I
realized that what I thought was
water actually was the concrete it,
sell. 1t rose up into the air in a
great, splash and then disappeared
along with the men and wheelbar-
rows which I had been looking at a
moment before"
Floor Drops rs Feet.
Edwin A. Schmitt, head engineer
OF the Euclid Construction Co.,
which is handling the job, said the
concrete flooring had dropped
about 25 feet. United States Army
engineers have been supervising the
| work.
Workmen being treated at Freed
mans Hospital estimated there had
oeen about 18 men on the lob.
most of whom were on top, pouring
concrete, while others we're below
the structure when it collapsed.
Will Walker, 80, colored. of 412
K street NV, said he was wheeling
buggy" full of concrete over the
top OF the structure when the floor
gave way. He and his buggy fell
many feet, he said, to the bottom
OF the reservoir. He sustained an
injury in the thigh.
Workman Buried by Timbers.
John Cieslik, 903 Taylor street
NE, said he was working under
meath when the whole structure
above him collapsed, tumbling all
kinds OF timbers and debris on ton
OF him. He said he managed to
crawl out of the entangled ruins
and was taken to Freedman's Hos
pltal. Doctors said Cieslik had a
bad scalp wound with possible frac-
tured skull and rib, but he had re-
FUSED any kind of surgical treat
ment or X-rays, accepting only first
aid. He had several other bloody
scratches on his face and body.
Police, flremen and soldiers aided
IN handling the crowd and rescuinp
the injured. A large derrick went
INTO action to aid the rescue work.
There were reports that two men
were missing. Foremen insisted the
two unaccounted for had checked
out earlier, but at the insistence of
Army engineers a search was being
made for them in the wreckage.
Worker Falls With Debris.
Benjamin Harrison Miles, e. col
oerd, Of 426 M street NV, said he
was working on the "evaporator"
when the roof collapsed and he fell
with the debris. At Freedman's Hos
potal he was found to have a DOS
sible fracture of the left elbow.
Mr.. Miles said that John HoIlo-
way, IS, of the 3l0O block of Sher-
man avenue NV. was working with
him, but disappeared.
The water boy, Bob Mills, colored
about Is, of 1884 Corcoran street
NV. was treated at Freedman,s
for laceration of the cheek.
Charles Sharp, 81, colored Of
1501a P street NV, was treated at
Freedman's, for shock, lacerations
OF the mouth, left leg and possible
internal injuries.
Dickerson Wreck Damage