A construction-site cave-in at 8207 Terminal Road in Newington, Thursday, April 11, resulted in one worker dead and another injured, as firefighters and police pooled resources in rescue efforts.
According to Fairfax County Police, the two men — later identified as 29-year-old Marlon J. Ayala, of Washington, D.C., and 29-year-old Herbert Marcia, of Falls Church — were working on the second floor, when the third floor of the building collapsed. Ayala was pronounced dead at the scene due to multiple injuries, and Marcia was rushed to a waiting helicopter.
FIRE TRUCKS from Springfield Station 22 joined the effort from the county Cave-In Unit, Company 19 and Rescue Squad 418, among others on the site when the police helicopter landed in the parking lot of the ExxonMobil Newington Terminal across the street from the accident. After almost two hours, Marcia was pulled from the site and rushed to the waiting helicopter for transport to Inova Fairfax.
Marcia is now listed in fair condition, according to assistant media relations specialist Kim Perry. She would not comment on his treatment.
EXXONMOBIL FIELD operations specialist Charles Fennell was on the site and oversaw the helicopter landing.
"We weren't really alert of what was happening until we heard the sirens. At this time we're shut down with the helicopter and police here. All we're doing is offering support here," he said, standing at the entrance to the site that afternoon, watching the rescue operation.
Shirley Contracting has an office nearby. Stephen Wiltshire is the corporate director of safety for Shirley and heard about the accident while in his office.
"I offered the use of some of our equipment if they need it. I've already talked to the captain about it," he said.
One onlooker who was driving by stopped after all the commotion.
"We just saw the big cloud of dust. We came up to see what was going on," he said.
A group of construction workers gathered in a staging area next to the building site, but it was unclear whether they were in the building when the cave-in occurred.
"I'm sorry, nobody speaks English," one spokesman for the group said.
Sterling Construction Inc. was the general contractor for the storage facility, and Barr Concrete Co. was a subcontractor. The two workers were employed by Barr.