Shredder accident kills man at South Seattle metal-recycling company

One man was killed and two others were hurt when they were crushed by a piece of heavy equipment Wednesday morning at a South Seattle metal-recycling company.

The three employees of Seattle Iron & Metals were repairing a large metal shredder — a device that shreds cars and other large pieces of metal — when it fell on top of them, said Seattle Fire Lt. Harold Webb. The machine was off when the accident occurred, Webb said.

Firefighters arrived at the business at 601 South Myrtle St. about 9 a.m. and were able to quickly remove the two injured men from beneath the wreckage. But it took them about a half-hour to get to the third man, Webb said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The two injured men were recovering at Harborview Medical Center. One was listed in critical and the other in serious condition. Their identities were not released Wednesday.

Marc Sidell, vice president of Seattle Iron & Metals, called the incident "a mishap."

"It's a tragedy for all of us," Sidell said.

After the accident, Sidell's nearly 60 employees went home for the day. He said his employees weren't feeling well enough to work after the accident.

Sidell wasn't sure whether the business would reopen today.

Sidell said the three men involved in the accident had worked for the company for several years.

He declined to identify the men or talk in detail about what had happened because of pending investigations by Seattle police, the King County Medical Examiner's Office and the state Department of Labor and Industries (L&I).

Since 1989, L&I investigators have cited Seattle Iron & Metals for failing to secure protective equipment on machinery, asbestos mishandling and failing to have a protocol for locking machinery to prevent malfunctions.

Elaine Fischer, an L&I spokeswoman, said the company has never been investigated for an accident that resulted in a death or injury to an employee. She said the investigation into Wednesday's incident could take several months.

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com