Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-12-30
Team to Visit
Site of Disaster
In GreenbeIt

work until a special team of
investigators can visit the site
tomorrow.
The project, in the 5000 block
of Greenbelt road, was a scene
of muddy tragedy Friday when
a clay bank fell on a plywood
mold where workmen were
pouring concrete footings.
A policeman will be assigned
around the clock to the site
to keep curiosity seekers from
disturbing debris until the
county's investigation is COM
plete, Deputy Police Chief
Vincent S. Free said yesterday.
New Regulations Expected
Tomorrow's Investigation is
expected to be a prelude to the
drafting of new regulations to
guard against such accidents
in the future.
Workmen had just begun
pouring concrete into 17-foot
high, 56-foot long plywood
mold when some 200 tons of
clay broke loose from a 81
foot high earthen wall 10 feet
back.
The clay toppled the steel
ribbed mold, pinning workmen
in a mass of splintered ply
wood and twisted metal.
Making the inspection to-
morrow will be Frank ]. Last
ner, chairman of the county
commissioners; Edward S.
Barber, of the civil engineering
faculty at the University Of
Maryland; Mr.. Sondberg,
Deputy Chief Free, and other
policemen.
Mr.. Sondberg said yesterday
he very definitely" will recon-
mend that the county building
code be amended to require
sheeting and snoring of excava-
ton walls.
The code has just undergone
two-year long revision and is
at the printers, said Mr.. Sond-
berg, who has been building in
spector eight years.
He said the code all along
has required builders to keep
their dirt and drainage from
getting on adjacent properties.
This re gulation has been
strengthened and made more
specific in the revised code, Mr..
Sondberg said.
He noted the site Of Fridays
slide, the excavation for Klein's
Department Store in the Belt
way Plaza shopping center. is
removed from other stores and
dwellings.
/ State Investigation Urged
A State investigation of the
cave-in was requested yester-
day in a telegram sent to Gov.
Tawes by Woodrow F. Strong,
president of the Maryland-Dis-
trict AFL-CIO, who was criti-
cal of safety conditions.
Mr.. Strong asked the gov
ernor for stronger State safety
regulations. He said he plans
to meet soon with the governor
about drafting a bill to enlarge
the present l7-man force Of
State safety inspectors.
There are at least $4,000 es-
Establishments and factories not
counting highway construction,
home and commercial building
construction which require
safety surveillance. Seventeen
inspectors can hardly be ex-
pected to give even bare token
attention to causes for and Of
safety" Mr.. Strong said.
| Mr.. Sondberg said he knows
of State regulations that apply
to snoring excavations on
privately contracted projects
such as the Greenbelt job.
The county commissioners
have the authority to adopt
snoring regulations, Mr.. Sond-
berg said.
Hospitals Release Four
Meanwhile, four of the in
jured have been released from
hospitals and the other seven
are listed in satisfactory condi-
ton.
Mr.. Lastner, who kept in
touch with rescue operations
by phone Friday, said the in
vestigation will move "as
quickly as possible" and that
more stringent regulations
will be adopted If deemed
necessary"
Mr., Sondberg said the stop
work order probably will be
lifted later this week.
Mr.. Sondberg said the i'm
pact OF the falling clay "prob-
ably" would have been lessened
II the 32-foot earthen wall had
been carved out so as to be
slanted away from the plywood
forms.
The Greenbelt excavation had
been checked a week ago by
him and Friday morning by
one Of his inspectors, Mr.. Sond.
berg said. No trouble was de-
tected. he said.
Some county authorities say
the slide may have been caused
by recent freezing and thaw-
ing that could have loosened
the clay.
Mr.. Sondberg said he knew
Of no area jurisdiction, other
than the District. that requires
the snoring Of excavations with
bracing Of timber or other
material.
A