- Three workers died at Tata’s iPhone components factory.
- Workers asphyxiated inspecting an effluent treatment plant tank.
- Apple, Tata, and state authorities are investigating deaths.
- Factory production unaffected; prior issues reported at site.
Apple has reportedly sent a team to investigate the deaths of three contract workers at Tata Electronics’ iPhone components factory in Tamil Nadu, a day after the incident took place.
The deaths, which occurred late on Monday, are being investigated by Apple, Tata and state authorities, according to state officials and two industry sources with direct knowledge of the matter, Reuters reported.
Three Workers Die During Maintenance Work
The three contract workers died while carrying out maintenance work at an effluent treatment plant at Tata Electronics’ facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, district official Dinesh Kumar said.
The plant was operated by Nalco Water, a part of US-headquartered Ecolab. Kumar said the workers inhaled gas while inspecting an external nano-filtration tank.
“Three worker deaths at Tata Apple iPhone parts factory occurred due to asphyxiation,” a source told Reuters.
Nalco Water said the workers had been engaged by one of its sub-contractors and that the incident took place at a utility facility operated by the company.
The company said it was cooperating with local authorities in the investigation. “We take this incident extremely seriously,” Nalco Water said.
Apple, Tata And Tamil Nadu Authorities To Investigate
Tamil Nadu minister Virudhai Magal Keerthana said in a post on X that the deaths would be thoroughly investigated and appropriate action would be taken based on the findings.
Tata Electronics has also initiated an investigation into the incident, with teams reportedly at the factory overnight. “Tata will investigate the deaths at its iPhone parts factory; teams were on site overnight,” a source told Reuters on Tuesday.
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An Apple team is visiting the plant to assist with the ongoing investigation, one of the sources said.
The incident has not affected production, as the facility was closed for the Hindu festival of Deepavali this week, the two industry sources told Reuters.
Tata’s Role In Apple’s India Manufacturing
Tata Electronics, the electronics arm of the Tata Group, accounts for roughly 40 per cent of iPhone assembly in India, while Foxconn handles the rest.
India has emerged as a key manufacturing hub for Apple as the company expands production beyond China. The country now accounts for roughly 25 per cent of the world’s iPhones.
Tata’s iPhone-making operations have faced several challenges in recent months, including a ransomware attack and concerns over water pollution.
The Hosur site was hit by a fire in 2024 that halted production at its components plant. Earlier this year, state authorities warned of a possible shutdown over alleged groundwater contamination before dropping the matter.
Separately, a ransomware breach at an adjacent iPhone plant in the same compound led to the leak of documents linked to Apple’s then-unreleased iPhone 18 Pro, Reuters has reported.
Tata Electronics, Apple and Nalco Water did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Tamil Nadu is a major industrial hub in India and hosts factories operated by global companies, including Foxconn, Hyundai, VinFast and BMW.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
