Two workers were killed and another was seriously injured Tuesday, Aug. 28, in a tire explosion at a Delta Air Lines maintenance facility near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The explosion occurred as workers were disassembling wheel components for maintenance in Delta’s TechOps facility.
The facility handles maintenance, repairs and overhauls for the airline and over 150 aviation customers worldwide. The parts were not attached to an aircraft at the time.
The Clayton County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the deceased as 58-year-old Mirko F. Marweg of Stone Mountain and 37-year-old Luis Aldarondo of Newnan. The third worker remains hospitalized.
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Delta expressed its condolences, stating “The Delta family is heartbroken at the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning.”
The airline is cooperating with local authorities, and the cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens extended his sympathies on social media, offering condolences to the victims’ families and wishing a swift recovery for the injured worker. Both Atlanta fire and police units responded to the scene shortly after 5 a.m. The explosion did not impact flights or other airport operations.
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has opened an investigation, and Delta said it is conducting its own internal review. Eric Lucero, a spokesperson for OSHA, confirmed the agency is involved in investigating the cause of the incident. Delta has made grief counselors available to staff.
