Three workers die at Tata Electronics Hosur plant
The fatalities occurred when contract workers suffocated while cleaning a wastewater treatment tank at a facility used for iPhone component manufacturing.
Three contract workers died on Monday evening while cleaning a wastewater treatment tank at a Tata Electronics factory in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, according to reports by Hindustan Times and ThePrint. The facility, which produces components for Apple iPhones, houses a utility site operated by Nalco Water.
The deceased have been identified as Kaveri of Hosur, and B Akmal and M Sarathi Kumar, both from Dharmapuri district. Police stated the workers were exposed to poisonous fumes and a lack of oxygen while desilting an effluent treatment plant storage tank.
Krishnagiri district collector C Dinesh Kumar said the deaths were caused by asphyxiation during the removal of sludge. He confirmed that a full investigation into the violation of safety rules at the plant has begun.
Tamil Nadu Industries Minister Virudhai Magal Keerthana said on X that the incident will be thoroughly investigated and appropriate action will be taken. She directed the district administration to provide support to the families of the victims.
Nalco Water, an Ecolab company, confirmed the workers were employed by one of its sub-contractors. The company stated it is cooperating with local authorities regarding the probe and expressed its condolences to the families.
While Apple is reportedly probing the incident, no official statement has been released by the tech company or Tata Electronics.