Two Delta Air Lines employees are dead and a third is seriously injured following a tire blowout from a plane in Atlanta.
Early Tuesday morning, workers were in a hangar near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport changing a tire when the explosion occurred.
Emergency crews responded to a call about a tire explosion at Delta’s wheel and brakes shop near the airport around 5 a.m. In addition to cooperating with the local authorities, a Delta spokesperson said in a statement that it is “conducting a full investigation to determine what happened.”
The plane had arrived from Las Vegas on Sunday evening.
“The Delta family is heartbroken at the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning,” the spokesperson said. “We have extended our full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time.”
The Clayton County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the victims as Mirko Marweg, 58, and Luis Aldarondo, 37, according to WSB-TV.
The condition of the worker who suffered “major injuries” is not known.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, a union that represents more than 100,000 airline workers across the U.S., has requested the investigation’s findings.
“IAM stands in solidarity with the community of Atlanta and expresses our deepest condolences to the victims’ families following the tragic incident that occurred this morning,” a union spokesperson said in a statement. “As a union dedicated to the well-being and safety of our members and the broader community, we will offer our resources to all those impacted by this tragic event.”
The Federal Aviation Administration has been in contact with Delta Air Lines regarding the deaths.
The plane is believed to have belonged to Boeing, which has been the subject of congressional hearings over the past year over allegations that it skirted safety regulations and botched the assembly of several of its planes.
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Major inquiries into Boeing’s safety concerns first came to light when a door plug blew out after an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 took off from Portland, Oregon.
In March, the wheel of a Boeing 777-200 fell off during takeoff in San Francisco.
