Three contract workers died of asphyxiation during maintenance work on a water tank at Tata Electronics’ factory in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, a facility that makes components for Apple iPhones, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter.
The deaths occurred on Monday, The New Indian Express reported. The source provided details of the incident on Tuesday. The workers were carrying out maintenance work at the industrial facility when they died, but further details about the circumstances, the tank and the response at the site were not immediately available in the supplied report.
The incident has brought renewed attention to the safety risks faced by contract workers in large manufacturing plants, where maintenance activities can involve confined spaces and potentially hazardous conditions. The report did not identify the workers or provide details of their contractor, the nature of the maintenance task, or whether any other people were affected.
Tamil Nadu Industries Minister Virudhai Magal Keerthana said in a post on X that the incident would be investigated. “The safety and dignity of every worker must remain paramount. This tragic incident will be thoroughly investigated, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings,” she said.
Tata Electronics did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters, according to the report. The supplied information does not state whether the company, state authorities or workplace-safety officials have announced a formal inquiry, nor does it provide details of any arrests, notices or compensation measures.
The Hosur facility is part of Tamil Nadu’s expanding electronics manufacturing base and supplies components for Apple’s production ecosystem. The deaths occurred within an industrial setting where the workforce includes contract labour, making the investigation’s findings on work procedures, supervision and safety compliance significant for the plant and its employees. Further official information is expected to clarify the cause of the asphyxiation and the action taken after the investigation.
