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Two people are dead and one person is injured after a tire on a Delta plane exploded at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
The tire explosion killed one Delta employee and one contractor, local outlet WSBTV rpeorts. A second Delta employee was also injured. The incident happened early Tuesday morning at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility, which is connected to the airport.
“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),” the Atlanta-based airline said in a statement. “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,” the statement continued. “We are now working with local authorities and conducting a full investigation to determine what happened.”
Delta airplanes sit at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. A tire exploded on a Delta airplane in a maintenance area of the airport, killing two airline employees and injuring a third (Getty Images)
The explosion has not impacted airport operations, a spokesperson for the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport told The Independent.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens also issued a statement on the incident.
“I offer my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased Delta employees,” he said.
“My thoughts are also with those who were injured, and I hope for their swift and full recovery,” he continued. “AFRD, APD, and HJAIA teams are on the scene, working diligently to address the situation.”
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International is the world’s busiest airport. The travel hub reported more than 104 million passengers in 2023.
More to come…
