‘The steel belts around the bead shifted relative to the rubber’
A young mechanic has died after a tire ruptured inside an auto shop in Kanata, prompting an investigation by Ontario’s Ministry of Labour. The incident occurred at Kanata Wheels, an auto shop on Edgewater Street in Ottawa’s west end.
Ottawa police say first responders were called to the business at about 1:40 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, after a tire exploded in a mechanical bay and caused life‑threatening injuries to an employee in his early 20s. The worker was transported to hospital, where he later died, CTV News reported.
In a statement to CTV News, shop owner Tariq In’airat identified the victim as Jordan Junger, who had worked at Kanata Wheels for more than five years. In’airat described him as “a very hard worker, very passionate” who “loved what he was doing,” and called the loss “tragic and devastating.”
Investigation focuses on high‑pressure tire work
In’airat said engineers from the Ministry of Labour provided an early technical assessment of what they believe occurred while the tire was being mounted. He said that, according to those engineers, “the steel belts around the bead shifted relative to the rubber while Jordan was mounting a brand‑new tire,” causing the tire to rupture and resulting in the fatal incident.
Ottawa police say the incident is not believed to be suspicious. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Labour told CTV News the ministry had been notified of a workplace fatality at Kanata Wheels and that an investigation is under way, with police supporting the probe.
The Ottawa & District Labour Council has described the death as a significant loss for the community. Its president, Sean McKenny, told CTV News the incident was “devastating to the family, devastating for friends, just devastating for our city in general when there’s a life lost as the result of a workplace fatality.” He also said police should conduct their own full investigation in addition to assisting the ministry.
Tire risks under scrutiny across Ottawa
Workers at another Ottawa tire shop say they are aware of the dangers associated with tire inflation work. At Super Tire on Bank Street, tire technician Ygor Azevedo told CTV News that inflating a tire carries considerable risk because of the pressure involved.
“It’s pretty much a bomb. You’re pretty much inflating a balloon that is more resistant, but they pop. They are dangerous,” Azevedo said. He added that his workplace had not experienced a similar incident but that staff had “seen things on the news.”
Azevedo said such incidents are “really rare,” noting he had only heard of one other comparable accident roughly 10 years ago. CTV News reported that these events remain unusual in Ontario and across Canada, even as they are recognised as a known hazard in automotive workplaces.
Kanata Wheels says it plans to hold fundraisers, rallies and events in Junger’s honour and that he was often among the first to participate in the shop’s annual charity activities. In’airat said the support from the public and the car community has been “very heartwarming” and asked that people remember “the positive stories and impact Jordan brought into our lives.”
Servicing tires, particularly large or multi-piece rim assemblies, is one of the higher-risk tasks in a mechanical bay. A large tire inflated to 100 PSI can generate up to 50,000 pounds of pressure in a blowout, and Canadian incident reports show this hazard is current — not historical. In Q1 2025, WorkSafeBC reported that a young worker sustained fractures and lacerations while assembling an off-highway tire and rim assembly without the use of a protective cage or other restraining device. The worker was inflating the tire to seat the lock ring when the tire exploded from the rim, striking the worker along with the hammer they were using.
Below is a consolidated table of employer obligations and recommended controls drawn from CCOHS and other Canadian stakeholders.
|
Hazard / Topic |
Required Employer Action / Control |
Source |
|
Training and authorization |
Ensure workers are trained before working on a tire/rim assembly and that they know, understand and follow proper safety procedures, as serious or fatal injuries can result if precautions are not followed. |
|
|
Vehicle stability while removing wheels |
Loosen wheel nuts before lifting the vehicle off the ground; raise the vehicle only a few centimetres from the floor on a freewheel or frame-contact lift; block the vehicle securely on a lift or jack to prevent rolling. |
CCOHS |
|
Ergonomics and body positioning |
Remove or replace wheels from a squatting position; avoid bending forward to minimise back strain; use a mechanical lift if available; do not place hands or wrists under the wheel well while the vehicle is suspended. |
CCOHS |
|
Split-rim and multi-piece wheels |
Do not service split rim-type tires unless specifically trained in their repair and hazards. Place the tire in a safety cage large enough for tire expansion before inflating; inflate using a clip-on air chuck with an in-line pressure gauge and valve; use remote control inflation equipment; stand clear of the trajectory path during inflation; inflate in incremental stages of 70 kPa (10 psi), checking the rim after each stage. |
CCOHS |
|
Inspection of rims and tires |
Look for damage such as embedded stones, glass or other objects; clean rims, rim gutters, bead seating surfaces and bead areas of tires to ensure all dirt and rust are removed from the lock ring and gutter; do not inflate a tire that is in poor condition, as a blowout could occur. |
CCOHS |
|
Mounting and inflation procedure |
Read the operator's manual and follow all safety precautions; lock the wheel hold-down device or safety cage securely; remove the valve core; keep hands clear of pinch points; use the correct tools; use proper lubricant to seat the tire; do not mount damaged tires or wheels. |
CCOHS |
|
Single-piece rim wheels — body position |
Do not position your head and shoulders over the tire during inflation; do not inflate the tire when any flat, solid surface is in the path and within 30 cm (one foot) of the sidewall; do not inflate tires above the maximum pressure recommended by the manufacturer to seat the bead. |
CCOHS |
|
Bead-seating pressure limits |
Deflate the assembly, reposition the tire on the rim, re-lubricate and re-inflate if the beads have not seated by the time pressure reaches 275 kPa (40 psi). |
CCOHS |
|
No heat work on rims |
Do not rework, weld, braze or otherwise heat wheels. A fatal WorkSafeBC case involved a mechanic who deflated a tire and welded the rim to stop a small leak; while he was beside the tire as it was inflating, it exploded and a flap of tire struck his head from behind, causing fatal head injuries. |
CCOHS; OHS Insider |
|
Broader mechanic hazards in the bay |
Mechanics face risks including exposure to chemicals, solvents and exhaust; electrical shock or burns; burns from battery acid, hot surfaces and exhaust; confined-space work; welding hazards including UV radiation; working with compressed air; rotating parts (caught in/between); explosive items such as airbags; bursting of tires while repairing or installing; and falling objects including the vehicle when working under it with jacks, hoists or hydraulic lifts. |
CCOHS |
|
PPE, WHMIS and reporting |
Use, maintain and store personal protective equipment according to manufacturer's recommendations; learn about chemical hazards, WHMIS and SDSs; know general first aid and first aid for chemical exposures; install and maintain eyewash stations where appropriate; know how to report a hazard; follow good housekeeping procedures and company safety rules. |
CCOHS |
|
Recent Canadian incident (context) |
A young B.C. worker sustained fractures and lacerations while assembling an off-highway tire and rim assembly without a protective cage or restraining device; the tire exploded from the rim while being inflated to seat the lock ring. |
The Safety Mag; WorkSafeBC (via Canadian Occupational Safety) |
