Three Workers Die in Gas Incident at Tata iPhone Parts Plant
Three contract workers die after inhaling gas at Tata's Hosur iPhone components factory; Apple sends team to assist probe.
TL;DR
- Three contract workers died inhaling gas during maintenance at Tata Electronics’ Hosur plant making iPhone parts.
- The facility stayed closed for Diwali so production was unaffected; Apple, Tata and Tamil Nadu officials are investigating.
- The same site had a 2024 chemical storage fire. Earlier wastewater complaints led to claims the regulator dropped action, though reports noted ongoing investigations.
Three contract workers lost their lives on Monday after inhaling gas during maintenance at a Tata Electronics factory in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. The plant makes components for iPhones.
The workers were checking a nano-filtration tank at the wastewater treatment facility run by Nalco Water. They were hired through a subcontractor. The site stayed shut for Diwali, so iPhone production was not hit.
According to Reuters, Apple’s team is visiting the plant to assist in the ongoing investigation. Tata Electronics and Tamil Nadu officials are also looking into what happened.
This is not the first problem at the same plant. A fire broke out in a chemical storage area in 2024 and halted work for several days.
Local authorities had looked into complaints about wastewater from the factory affecting nearby farms earlier this year. Tata said testing showed the plant was within rules and the regulator dropped further action, though reports indicated the matter was not fully resolved with ongoing local health official investigations.
The Tea
India is now making roughly a quarter of the world’s iPhones as Apple tries to cut reliance on China. That shift puts real pressure on suppliers like Tata to keep both output and safety standards high. When something like this happens, it shows the supply chain still has serious gaps that need fixing fast.