Anyone who has worked as a mechanic (or has a loved one who has) knows that there are always dangers involved in that line of work. Families of mechanics hope and pray that nothing will befall their loved ones.
Unfortunately, mishaps do happen. On Tuesday morning, a terrible accident at a Delta Airlines maintenance facility near Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport claimed the lives of two employees and severely injured another.
Two Delta employees killed and another injured during an incident at the airline's Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility on Tuesday morning.
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) August 27, 2024
Delta TechOps is responsible for airline maintenance and repair.
Sources told local media that a tire exploded while it was… pic.twitter.com/3VD5F7pwfP
“Sources confirm that a tire on the plane exploded while it was being removed, killing a Delta employee and a contractor,” reports WSB Radio. “A second Delta employee suffered a major injury, but there is no word on that person’s condition.”
Police and Atlanta Fire Rescue units responded to the Delta TechOps maintenance hangar near the airport shortly after 5 a.m. Delta hasn’t yet released details on what caused the explosion, but it has said that the accident didn’t disrupt flight operations.
The airline released a statement:
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). 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. We are now working with local authorities and conducting a full investigation to determine what happened.
The Associated Press reports that Delta Executive Vice President John Laughter, who oversees the TechOps program, told staff that the company will have counselors on hand for employees. He added, “We’re all in this together, and we’ll get through this by supporting each other.”
“I offer my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased Delta employees. My thoughts are also with those who were injured, and I hope for their swift and full recovery. AFRD, APD, and HJAIA teams are on the scene, working diligently to address the situation,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens also said in a statement that he posted on X.
The Federal Aviation Administration said that it has been in communication with Delta over the explosion. One union is also trying to get involved.
“The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which is trying to organize 20,000 ground workers at largely nonunion Delta, called on the airline and authorities ‘to quickly launch a thorough investigation into how this happened,’” reports the AP.
Additionally, X users are trying to blame Boeing for the incident because the plane was a 757. While Boeing does have much to answer for in other accidents, the company doesn’t manufacture its tires. That fact hasn’t stopped users from rating community notes that provide important context as “not helpful.”
Pray for the families, loved ones, and coworkers of everyone involved in this horrific accident.
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