Breaking News for Culpeper and Warrenton Accident Victims

Northern Virginia worker electrocuted, another seriously injured on-the-job

Posted on Nov 30, 2009

One Arlington County worker is dead and another severely injured after an on-the-job accident. The men had just worked through the night to repair water main break and were removing a set of temporary lights when the accident happened.

The only information made public after the accident was that the men came into contact with a power line. The accident is being investigated by the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as well as the Arlington police.

The worker who was electrocuted, James Bea, 59, of Arlington, was about to go home when he was killed. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The other worker suffered severe electrical burns and is in critical condition. His name has not been released.

Water pressure in the north part of Arlington County was low over Thanksgiving as county workers tried to fix the water main break. After the accident about 1,000 homes lost power, which was restored several hours later.

James Bea is survived by a wife, a child and several grandchildren. Bea and the other injured worker were employed by the Arlington County Water, Sewer and Streets Bureau in the Department of Environmental Services.