ARLINGTON, Va. - One woman says the worker who died at the site of the water main break in Arlington helped her just hours before his death.

James Bea, 59, was a 24-year veteran of the County's Water, Sewer and Streets Bureau in the Department of Environmental Services. He died and another worker is critically injured after they were both shocked by an electric line while making repairs at the site of the main break.

"It's an enormous loss," said Bob Griffin, acting director of Arlington's Environmental Services Department. "It's absolutely an enormous loss for us."  

James Bea, 59

Bea had been on a crew that worked all night to repair the 36-inch main. He was just ending his shift to begin his holiday with his wife, children and grandchildren.

"That's just horrible, losing a life right around Thanksgiving, right around holiday time," said Rita Bloom, one of Bea's neighbors.

A County spokesperson said Bea and the other worker were removing lights after an overnight shift when the lights came into contact with overhead power lines. 

 Barbara Morse heard small explosions Wednesday morning as she walked down her street.

"All four lights popped and you could hear the workers screaming," she said Wednesday night.

Arlington County Police spokeswoman Detective Crystal Nosal says rescuers were not able to get to Bea initially Wednesday morning because of the live power line. Bea was later pronounced dead on the scene. 

Just a few days ago, the main break sent water and mud into Barbara Morse's home. Tuesday night, Morse respectfully asked Arlington County officials if any crew members could help clear her mud-covered walkway. Wednesday, she awoke to clean bricks.

She found out later that James Bea, the man who died just steps from her home, was on the crew that turned a mess into a well-manicured front yard.

"No matter what my yard looks like, no matter what my basement looks like, it really comes down to human life and what people have been doing to help everyone in our neighborhood," said Morse.

Griffin says Bea, his friend and co-worker, considered his work crew like family.

"Working through the night, in conditions which most people find deplorable -- last night in the trench with water. He's the type of person who's out plowing the snow. He's also the type of person who's not out complaining about the work," Griffin said. "It's a poignant reminder of how dangerous the job really is and sometimes that gets forgotten." 

The other worker was taken to MedStar hospital for treatment of electrical burns and listed in critical condition, the county said in a statement.

Dominion Power cut power to make the area safe for rescuers, affecting about 1,000 customers. It has since been restored. Police temporarily blocked off part of the area near Old Glebe Road and North Glebe Road; it has reopened. 

"It's such a quiet neighborhood, you just started seeing cars backed up at the stop sign and you think something's happened," said Cynthia Hathway, who lives near the water main break. 

Fire and police investigators quickly concluded the tragedy was an accident.

More cracks have appeared in the pipe since Monday and it may be several day before it is fixed. Residents of North Arlington are asked to conserve water until repairs are finished.

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