Three contract workers have died during maintenance work at a Tata Electronics facility that manufactures components for Apple iPhones near Hosur in Tamil Nadu’s Krishnagiri district, prompting investigations by state authorities and the companies involved.
The incident occurred on Monday evening while the workers were carrying out maintenance and cleaning work at an effluent treatment plant at the facility.
Preliminary inquiries suggest they were exposed to gas while inspecting a nano-filtration tank. The precise cause of their deaths, however, will be determined following post-mortem examinations and the official investigation.
Workers Were Carrying Out Maintenance at Effluent Treatment Plant
Krishnagiri District Collector C Dinesh Kumar said the three workers were part of a team carrying out maintenance work on an effluent treatment plant at Tata Electronics’ facility near Uddanapalli.
The effluent treatment operation was managed by Nalco Water, part of US-headquartered Ecolab, Reuters reported.
The workers were inspecting an external nano-filtration tank when they are suspected to have inhaled gas.
Local reports said the incident took place at the company’s facility near Vanniyapuram-Ullukurukkai in Krishnagiri district.
Three Workers Identified
The deceased have been identified as:
- B Akmal, 28, from Thinnur village near Panchapalli
- M Sarathikumar, 25, from Belrampatti near Palacode
- P Kaveri, 32, from Hanumanthapuram
All three were residents of Dharmapuri district and were working as contract employees.
Their bodies were sent to the Government Krishnagiri Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
One Worker Collapsed, Two Others Tried to Help
According to the district administration’s preliminary account, Akmal first approached the tank for inspection and allegedly became unconscious after inhaling gas.
Sarathikumar then went to check on him but was also overcome.
Kaveri subsequently attempted to assist the two workers and collapsed as well.
A fourth member of the maintenance team raised the alarm, following which the factory’s emergency personnel rescued the three men.
They were taken to a private hospital in Hosur, where doctors declared them dead.
Safety Measures Under Investigation
Collector Dinesh Kumar said the administration was investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the safety procedures followed during the maintenance operation.
He told The New Indian Express that preliminary scrutiny had raised concerns about whether adequate safety measures were in place while the effluent treatment plant was being handled.
Officials from the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health have also visited the facility.
Police have launched a separate investigation, while the final cause of death is expected to be established after the post-mortem reports are available.
Tamil Nadu Government Promises Thorough Probe
Tamil Nadu Industries Minister Virudhai Magal Keerthana expressed condolences to the families of the workers and said the incident would be thoroughly investigated.
She said she had spoken to the district administration and directed officials to provide necessary support to the affected families.
The minister also said appropriate action would be taken based on the findings of the investigation and stressed the need to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
Apple and Tata Expected to Examine Incident
Apple, Tata Electronics and state authorities are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Reuters reported, citing two industry sources with direct knowledge of the matter, that both Apple and Tata will investigate the incident.
Tata Electronics, Apple and Nalco Water had not responded to Reuters’ requests for comment at the time of publication.
Production Not Affected, Sources Say
The incident has not immediately disrupted production at the facility because operations were closed for Deepavali, according to industry sources cited by Reuters.
The Hosur facility is part of Tata Electronics’ expanding role in Apple’s Indian manufacturing network.
India has become one of Apple’s most important production centres outside China as the company diversifies its global supply chain.
According to Reuters, India now accounts for roughly a quarter of global iPhone production, while Tata’s electronics operations account for about 40% of iPhone assembly in the country and Foxconn produces most of the remainder.
Hosur Facility Has Faced Earlier Disruptions
The worker deaths come after several previous challenges at Tata’s iPhone-related manufacturing operations in Tamil Nadu.
In September 2024, a fire broke out at a chemical facility within the Tata Electronics complex near Hosur, temporarily disrupting operations. Several workers suffered health complications after inhaling fumes, though no deaths were reported in that incident.
Tata’s operations have also faced regulatory scrutiny over alleged groundwater contamination. State authorities had earlier warned of possible action before the issue was subsequently resolved, according to Reuters.
Separately, a ransomware attack affected an adjacent Tata iPhone manufacturing facility and exposed company files that included confidential Apple-related information, Reuters previously reported.
India Increasingly Critical to Apple’s Supply Chain
Apple has steadily expanded manufacturing in India as part of efforts to reduce its dependence on China.
Tata Electronics and Foxconn have emerged as two of its most important manufacturing partners in the country.
Tamil Nadu in particular has developed into a major electronics and automobile manufacturing hub, hosting facilities operated by global companies including Foxconn, Hyundai, BMW and VinFast.
The latest incident is therefore likely to draw renewed attention to workplace safety standards across the rapidly expanding electronics-manufacturing sector.
For now, investigators are focused on determining what gas was present inside the filtration tank, whether required safety procedures were followed and whether protective equipment and emergency safeguards were adequate.
Further action will depend on the findings of the police, district administration and industrial-safety investigations.
