Jack gives out, bus falls on 2 workers at Seattle tire shop

SEATTLE -- One man died and another was seriously hurt when a jack gave out, sending a bus crashing down on top of them.

Firefighters were called around noon Friday to a Les Schwab Tire Center in south Seattle.

According to the Seattle Fire Department, the two men were taken to Seattle's Harborview Medical Center after the jack gave out. The men were ages 29 and 55 years old.

Their identity was not immediately released.

Dale Thompson, the chief marketing officer of Les Schwab, released the following:

Two Les Schwab Tire Centers employees were critically injured earlier today at our South Seattle store. While one remains hospitalized, we are deeply saddened to share that the other passed away at the hospital as a result of his injuries.

We keenly feel the pain of this tragedy, and our thoughts and sympathies go out to his family. At Les Schwab, our employees are an extension our families, and we’re focused on supporting the South Seattle crew in any way we can. That location will be closed Dec. 14 and 15.

For us, safety is always a top priority. We’re committed to keeping customers and employees safe in our stores and on the road. In addition to fully cooperating with the Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s investigation, Les Schwab will review this incident to ensure our rigorous commitment to safety has been maintained. It is standard practice during internal reviews to look for opportunities to further strengthen our safety program. We cannot provide further comment at this time.