Tire explodes, injuring man

John Bailey / Green Forest Police Chief A man was airlifted to Mercy Hospital Springfield after a tire he was attempting to inflate in a tire shop blew up, injuring him.

GREEN FOREST -- It is currently unknown how many attempts were made at putting a 16.5 inch tire on a 16 inch rim on Monday morning, but at least two of the attempts ended in disaster at Tiger Tire and Retreads in Green Forest.

According to Green Forest Police Chief John Bailey, the owner of the establishment had been adding air to the tire when he took a phone call. When he stepped away, the tire burst and went through the roof of the building, ripping a hole in it.

Then, according to Bailey, there was another attempt to put a tire on the rim, but this time the man was standing over the tire when it exploded.

He was airlifted to Mercy Hospital Springfield. His condition was not known at press time.