Two people were killed and one person was seriously injured early Tuesday morning at Delta Air Lines’ maintenance facility at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport when a tire exploded.
The incident occurred just after 5 a.m. while the tire was being removed from a Boeing 757-232 aircraft, which had been grounded since its arrival from Las Vegas on Sunday night.
According to ABC News, Mirko Marweg, 58, of Stone Mountain, and Luis Aldarondo, 37, of Newnan, were killed instantly when the tire burst. Another Delta employee sustained serious injuries and was treated on-site by first responders. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
According to ABC 6, Delta Air Lines released a statement, stating;
“The Delta family is heartbroken at the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning. We have extended our full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time.”
Airport officials confirmed that the incident, while tragic, did not impact airport operations.
Delta is working with local authorities and conducting a full investigation to determine what happened.
