2 killed in tire explosion at Delta maintenance area

ATLANTA — At least two people were killed when a tire exploded in a maintenance area at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Tuesday morning.

WSB reported the tire exploded as it was being removed from a plane in a Delta Air Lines maintenance facility.

The incident killed a Delta employee and a contractor. A second Delta employee had what was described as a major injury but the specifics of those injuries were not released.

The company released a statement saying:

“The Delta family is heartbroken at the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility (TOC 3). We have extended our full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time.

“The Delta family is grateful for the quick action of first responders and medical teams on site. We are now working with local authorities and conducting a full investigation to determine what happened.”

What caused the tire to explode has not been released and none of the victims have been identified.

The flight information connected to the plane’s tail number indicated that the flight had traveled to Atlanta from Las Vegas on Sunday, WSB reported.

Airport operations were not impacted by the incident.

For the latest on this story, visit WSBTV.com.

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