Authorities say a man is dead after the industrial tire he was installing at a Decatur, Ala., service center exploded.
Lynn Mann, a spokeswoman for TCI Tire Commercial Service Center, says 50-year-old Joseph Andrew Sparks died Saturday afternoon. Police say the tire rim blew up, hitting Sparks in the chest and knocking him into a crane boom.
Police said he died on the scene. The death has been ruled accidental.
TCI is headquartered in Duncan, S.C. Mann said Sparks had been with the company for six years.
She said the company spends `” lot of time on training and safety” and called the accident an “unfortunate” tragedy.
Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
California Lawmakers File Wildfire Plan Axes Newsom Asks to Bar Insurers From Suing Utilities 
State Farm Sued by LA County for Delays, Denials to Fire Victims 
Uber to Offer Optional Livestreams of Teen Rides to Parents and Guardians 
PwC International Can’t Exit Evergrande Case, HK Court Rules 
Want to stay up to date?
Get the latest insurance news
sent straight to your inbox.