Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-13


Hurd Corp. of Laurel. Md. and
Grond Jury Report Loshss Prince
Georges Operations. Pess B-3
its four officers on charges. Of
violating State safety regula-
tons.
The Hurd Corp. was excavat-
ing at the site Of a shopping
center on Greenbelt road when
a clay bank gave way. killing
five workers and injurine II
others.
Named in individual indict-
ments were the corporation,
Leon H. Hurd. president; Ar
thur Hurd. vice president; Eu-
gene M. Feinblatt, secretary.
and Sander L. Wise. treasurer.
Expresses Surprise
Frank ]. Lastner. chairman
Of the board Of county COM
missioners, expressed surprise
at the announcement Of Mr..
Sondberg's indictment. He
added that he has the great
est faith" in the building in
spector.
AS far as he knows, Mr..
Lastner said, Mr.. Sondberg
will remain on the job at least
until the commissioners can get
together this week.
The indictments and 80
others were released today by
States Attorney Arthur A.
Marshall. IT,, after the grand
Jury yesterday called for test
ing and training Of county
building inspectors ito be
qualified to perform their
duties"
The jury report yesterday
also said OF the Department
! of Buildings and Inspections
that violations stem from the
fact that inspectors do not seem
to know when they can stop a
job because Of safety violations"
State wide RepercusslOns
; There were Statewide re-
|percussions after the Greenbelt
cave-in December 20, but the
grand jury indictments today
are the first official announce
lments Of any alleged safety
violations after months Of in
vestigation by county and State
officials.
Specifically. the eight-count
indictment against Mr.. Sond-
berg alleges he unlawfully and
negligently permitted an unsafe
condition to exist at the site in
that he permitted an excava-
Ition without any safeguard or
protection, and that he un-
lawfully and negligently failed:
l.. To make necessary inspec-
Iticns to correct and prevent an
unsafe condition:
2. To issue necessary notices
and orders to remove the Illegal
and unsafe conditions;
i 3. To insure compliance with
existing code requirements for
safety;
4. To make himself cognizant
of existing rules and regula-
tons adopted by the State
Department Of Labor and In
dustry applicable to the func-
tons and duties for which he
was responsible as chief build
ling inspector in Prince Georges;
5. To make himself cog
infant of the basic building
code Of the Building Officials
Conference Of America which
was in effect.
Represented by Kahler
Mr.. Sondberg will be repre-
sented by Former States At
torney William L. Kahler, who
said today that TO attempt to
make Mr.. Sondberg the scape-
goat for this tragic incident Is
a great wrong TO a man who
has spent many years In Inn
proving and revising the build
ing code for Prince Georges
County and conducted q strict
system Of endorsements"
There was no failure Of In
spection on this job and Mr..
: Sondberg viii be vindicated,"
Mr.. Kahler said. He added that
|. he sees no reason for him to
! take leave from his job.
Two weeks after the cave-in.
Mr.. Sondberg said he was never
|, informed Of a seven-year-old
State safety regulation calling
for the bracing Of excavation
walls deeper than 4 feet. Ac-
5 cording to William n. WEIGH
!, Of the State department Of
! labor and industry. copies Of
the regulations are sent TO the
2 States attorneys office In each
! county.
! The five-count indictment
against the Hurd Corp. alleged
, It failed TO protect the life and
safety Of It's employees and that
1t made excavations 4 feet or
more In depth creating q dan
ger of slides and cave-ins. II
also charged that the firm
caused workmen 10 be engaged
near the face Of an excavation
where the ground was cracked
and "of such character that
caving was likely to occur with
out providing substantial brac-
ing and snoring to prevent
caving and 70 protect the
men. -"