CNN showing UA885 now. They have towed it to a pad, and it seems to be surrounded by airport fire equipment. Did it get hit by something?
KTVU talking about the NOTAMS now ... out for about a month - normal visual glideslope equip is inoperable due to construction. Pilots expected to eyeball it in. PAPPI - bank of lights - was out.
It is more difficult for some aircraft to turn around in a tight area than for others, so using a tug to extricate it from the taxiway would not be unusual. The photos I saw seem to show them well clear laterally of Asiana's path. I suppose engines could have tossed something their way, but it does seem unusual for emergency personnel to be performing what should be a perfunctory examination rather than maintenance technicians.