You don't need to approach the main gear to tow the airplane, just the nose wheel,
Any idea how far bits of metal will go if a tyre explodes? With a bit of googling the Aussie Govt reckons over 200 meters so I reckon you would still get perforated standing by the nose gear.
Air Safety Week in 8/7/2000 equated an aircraft tire explosion to the energy of 4 or 5 sticks of dynamite.
Below is from
www.minesafe.org
A lesser-known danger arises when the combustion takes place inside the tyre, with no external signs. Whenever excess heat is developed in or applied to a tyre, it can initiate a process within the tyre known as pyrolysis - the decomposition of a substance by heat. This can cause a build-up of flammable gases and pressure within the tyre, which may ultimately rupture or explode.
Thus the installation of fuse plugs (and nitrogen fills). Of course the fuse plug may not operate properly and Kaboom.
As for blocking a taxiway and disrupting the airport, thats just tough. Its only money afterall, better that than killing someone.