Often in the event of an accident involving an RV the cause is not immediately known and can involve several factors. But an accident near Zillah, Washington, seems to point to a faulty tire, illustrating how important it is to keep a constant check on the condition of your RV’s tires.
A blown tire caused a motorhome towing a race car in a trailer to go into the Yakima River, injuring one person and causing a fuel spill, according to authorities and reported by the Yakima Herald (click link for photos).
Matthew M. Woodward, 36, of Lakewood, Calif., was driving east on Interstate 82 when his Providence Fleetwood motorhome blew a tire, according to the Washington State Patrol. The RV and towed race car went into the river, the State Patrol reported.
Woodward and three other people, including a 3-year-old girl, were able to get out of the motorhome, but one of Woodward’s passengers, Naomi Woodward, 37, was taken to Astria Toppenish Hospital; her condition was not immediately available.
A Yakama Nation hazardous materials team and the state Department of Ecology were on the scene putting a floating boom in the river to contain diesel and high-octane gasoline that were leaking from the vehicles.
It is not known how much fuel was in the vehicles.
