Lawyers call for recall of all Decatur-made Bridgestone/Firestone tires

ENID, Okla. (April 2)—Two Oklahoma plaintiffs´ attorneys are calling on Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. to recall all Firestone tires—particularly all those manufactured at the Bridgestone/Firestone facility in Decatur, Ill.—and not just the 15-inch ATX and Wilderness AT tires named in the 6.5-million tire recall last August. Jill Phillips and Philip Outhier represent the families of four foriegn students at Oklahoma State University who were killed or injured in October 1998 when a Seiberling TrailRider tire on their Isuzu Rodeo blew out, causing the vehicle to roll over. The Seiberling tire was built in Decatur. The parents of a fifth student who was killed in the crash did not join the lawsuit filed by Phillips and Outhier last October. After investigation and consultation with "a former Firestone engineer" whom they declined to name, Phillips and Outhier decided to call for a wider recall. "The issue here is that (the Seiberling TrailRider) was an aftermarket tire," Outhier said. "Not only are the Firestone tires put on vehicles as original equipment bad, but the aftermarket tires are as well." Bridgestone/Firestone spokespersons were unavailable for comment.