Two workers killed at Delta Air Lines factory in Atlanta – NBC 6 South Florida

An explosion in a Delta Air Lines maintenance hangar near Atlanta airport killed two workers and seriously injured another on Tuesday.

Delta said it is working with local authorities to investigate the incidents at the wheel and brake shop.

WSB-TV reported that a tire on an airplane had burst. The station cited anonymous sources.

Several Atlanta fire departments and police officers responded to the maintenance hangar near Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport shortly after 5 a.m., the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

“The Delta family is deeply saddened by the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility,” Delta said in a statement. “We have pledged our full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time.”

Delta thanked first responders and medical teams.

“We are now working with local authorities and conducting a full investigation to determine what happened,” the Atlanta-based airline said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was in contact with Delta but had referred a request for more information about the suspected accident to the airline. A spokesman for the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Eric Lucero, said the agency had opened an investigation.

The airline said it was investigating the incident and working with local authorities. Delta did not specify which incident led to the deaths and injuries, but a union representing workers at the airport cited reports of a tire explosion.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, a union that represents airline workers across North America, issued a statement on the reported tire explosion and expressed condolences to the families of the victims.

“As a union committed to the well-being and safety of our members and the broader community, we will offer our resources to anyone affected by this tragic event,” the union said. “We stand with Delta workers during this difficult time and call on Delta and the appropriate authorities to quickly launch a thorough investigation to determine how this happened.”

The facility where the accident occurred is part of Delta TechOps, which performs maintenance, repair and overhaul for Delta and more than 150 aviation and airline customers worldwide.

The president of TechOps, Delta Executive Vice President John Laughter, said in a note to employees that the airline would make consultants available to speak with employees.

“We are all in the same boat and we will get through this by supporting each other,” he said.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens posted on X to express his condolences to the victims' families.

“I extend my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased Delta employees,” Dickens wrote. “My thoughts are also with those injured and I hope for their speedy and full recovery.”