ROMULUS, Mich. - Four tires blew out on a Northwest Airlines jet while it was landing at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Saturday, the first day of a mechanics strike at the airline.

No injuries were reported, Northwest spokeswoman Jennifer Bagdade said. A statement from the airline said the incident was likely caused by "an anti-skid braking issue" and had nothing to do with the strike.

"Issues like this occur from time to time at any airline, and at Northwest, we investigate any such operational issues," Bagdade said.

Flight 210 from Seattle was carrying 222 passengers when it landed just before 4 p.m.

The Boeing 757 came to a stop on a taxiway, and buses lined up to transport the passengers to the terminal. Crews were using trucks to clear a runway of debris.

"When we landed, really, it wasn't that much of a bump," said passenger Susan Nokes. "There was smoke coming out of the side of the plane. The captain came on and said that they thought they blew a tire."

Earlier Saturday, Northwest's union mechanics walked off the job rather than agree to take pay cuts and layoffs as contract talks broke down. Northwest, the nation's fourth-largest carrier, turned over its maintenance work to replacement workers. The strike is the industry's first major walkout in seven years.