Three contract workers die at Tata iPhone plant in Tamil Nadu
The workers reportedly inhaled gas while cleaning a wastewater treatment plant at the Hosur facility during the Diwali holiday.
Three contract workers died on Monday while performing maintenance at a Tata Electronics factory in Tamil Nadu that manufactures components for Apple iPhones, according to reports from WION, Mint and The Economic Times.
The incident occurred at an effluent treatment plant in Vanniyapuram, near Uddanapalli, during the Diwali holiday. The workers were cleaning a nano-filtration feed tank when the deaths took place, according to district official Dinesh Kumar.
The victims, identified as M Sarathikumar, B Akmal and P Kaveri, were part of a four-person maintenance crew. One worker reportedly fainted after looking into the tank, and two others collapsed after entering to check on him, according to WION.
The workers were taken to a private hospital in Hosur but were declared dead on arrival. Preliminary enquiries suggest they may have inhaled toxic gas, though police stated the exact cause of death will be determined following post-mortem examinations.
The effluent treatment plant is operated by Nalco Water, which is part of Ecolab. Tamil Nadu's industries minister stated that the incident will be thoroughly investigated and action will be taken based on the findings.
The Krishnagiri district collector has raised concerns regarding safety arrangements at the plant. While investigations are underway, the facility's production was not impacted as it was closed for the festive holidays.