Atlanta Airport tragedy: Tyre explosion on Boeing 757 during maintenance kills two Delta Air workers; see pics

By Sunita Iyer  |  First Published Aug 27, 2024, 8:54 PM IST

A tragic incident occurred on Tuesday at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta, where an tyre explosion in a Delta Air Lines maintenance hangar resulted in the deaths of two workers and left a third seriously injured.


A tragic incident occurred on Tuesday at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where an tyre explosion in a Delta Air Lines maintenance hangar resulted in the deaths of two workers and left a third seriously injured.

The explosion happened just after 5 a.m. in a hangar near the airport’s international terminal. The aircraft involved, a 31-year-old Boeing 757-232, had been grounded since completing a flight from Las Vegas on Sunday night. The cause of the tyre explosion remains under investigation, and officials have yet to release further details.

BREAKING: Two workers killed at maintenance facility near Hartsfield-Jackson - https://t.co/wpd89Exmrs pic.twitter.com/WMAgrBpf9K

— John Spink (@johnjspink)

BREAKING: Two Delta employees dead as tyre of Boeing 757 explodes during maintenance at Atlanta airport. pic.twitter.com/ZBWYwIHT8T

— Vani Mehrotra (@vani_mehrotra)

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Delta Air Lines has confirmed the fatalities and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of their team members.

“The Delta family is heartbroken at the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning,” the airline’s statement said. “We have extended our full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time.”

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The surviving worker was reported to have sustained serious injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Despite the explosion, flight operations at the airport, which is the world’s busiest by passenger traffic, have not been affected, and departures and arrivals are continuing as scheduled.

Authorities are working to determine the exact cause of the explosion and to ensure the safety of all personnel and passengers at the airport.

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