Three contract workers died after reportedly being exposed to toxic gas while cleaning a wastewater treatment tank at Tata Electronics’ Marigold plant near Hosur in Tamil Nadu’s Krishnagiri district, prompting a police investigation and a district-ordered inquiry into workplace safety procedures.
The incident took place in the Vanniyapuram area near Hosur, where Tata Electronics manufactures iPhone components. The plant employs about 15,000 workers across shifts, according to a report by Dinamalar. The workers were engaged through Nalco, a private contractor, for maintenance and cleaning work at a tank used in the plant’s wastewater treatment system.
The tank, identified in the report as a nano-filtration feed tank, was being cleaned in the evening. The three workers entered the tank at about 5 pm and reportedly fell unconscious after being affected by toxic gas. They were pulled out and taken to a private hospital in Hosur, where doctors confirmed that all three had died.
The deceased workers were identified as Sarathikumar, 25, from Belrampatti village in Dharmapuri district; Akmal, 28, from Thinnur near Panchapalli; and Kaveri, 31, from Jambooth village near Anumanthapuram, according to the report.
Rayakottai police have begun investigating the incident. The report did not provide details of arrests, the specific gas involved, or the immediate findings of investigators. It also did not establish whether the workers had entered the tank with required safety equipment or whether prescribed confined-space procedures had been followed.
Krishnagiri district collector Dineshkumar ordered an inquiry to establish the precise circumstances of the incident and examine possible shortcomings in industrial safety practices. Officials have started the investigation, including questions about whether the three contract workers were provided with protective equipment while carrying out maintenance and cleaning work inside the wastewater tank.
The incident places attention on the safety risks associated with wastewater treatment infrastructure inside industrial facilities. Tanks, pits and other enclosed spaces can pose hazards during cleaning and maintenance, making the procedures followed before entry a central part of the ongoing inquiry. The available report, however, does not state what safety checks, equipment or supervision were in place at the plant at the time of the accident.
District authorities and police have also taken measures to prevent any law-and-order disturbance in the area. Further details are expected to emerge as the police and district administration complete their inquiries into the workers’ deaths and the safety arrangements at the Tata Electronics facility.
