New Delhi/Krishnagiri, Three workers died in an incident at a utility facility operated by Nalco Water at a Tata Electronics factory in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, which makes components for Apple iPhones.
The deaths occurred when three contract workers suffocated while cleaning a wastewater treatment tank at the facility, police said on Tuesday.
The deceased Kaveri of Hosur, B Akmal and M Sarathi Kumar , both hailing from Dharmapuri district were exposed to lethal poisonous fumes and severe oxygen depletion while desilting an effluent treatment plant storage tank on Monday evening.
Akmal initially peered into the tank to inspect it, only to collapse immediately from gas exposure.
Attempting a rescue, Kaveri directed Sarathi Kumar to check on their fallen colleague, but he fainted upon entry. Kaveri then rushed inside the enclosure himself, succumbing to the toxic atmosphere moments later.
A fourth crew member who observed the tragedy unfold alerted nearby staff.
Rescuers pulled all three individuals from the tank and rushed them to a private hospital in Hosur, where doctors declared them dead on arrival.
The remains were subsequently transferred to the Government Medical College Hospital in Krishnagiri for post-mortem examinations.
{{/usCountry}}The remains were subsequently transferred to the Government Medical College Hospital in Krishnagiri for post-mortem examinations.
{{/usCountry}}Visiting the site to inspect safety protocols, Krishnagiri district collector C Dinesh Kumar confirmed that asphyxiation during sludge removal was the primary cause of death.
He announced that a comprehensive inquiry has been launched into the breach of safety regulations at the plant, which manufactures and assembles components for Apple iPhones.
Tamil Nadu Industries Minister Virudhai Magal Keerthana, in a post on X, said the incident would be thoroughly investigated and appropriate action taken based on the findings.
Nalco Water said it is working with local authorities in the probe.
There was no official statement from Tata Electronics or Apple yet, although the Cupertino, California-headquartered tech titan is learnt to be probing the incident.
In a statement, Nalco Water said the deceased were engaged by one of its sub-contractors.
"We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident that resulted in the deaths of three workers engaged by a sub-contractor of Nalco Water, an Ecolab company, at the Tata Electronics site in Hosur, India," the statement said.
The incident occurred in a utility facility operated by Nalco Water, and it is working with local authorities in the investigation, it added.
Nalco Water extended condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those affected.
"Our first priority is to extend all possible support to the families," it said.
Stressing its safety record, the company said safety is a core value and fundamental to everything Ecolab does.
"We take this incident extremely seriously. We are deeply committed to upholding the highest standards of safety across our operations and the sites where we work," it said.
Keerthana said she has spoken to the district administration and directed them to extend all necessary support to the affected families and ensure that the situation is addressed with utmost urgency.
"Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of three precious lives in the incident at Tata Electronics' facility in Hosur. My heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones. I pray for strength and courage for them during this difficult time," she wrote.
The safety and dignity of every worker must remain paramount, the minister noted.
"This tragic incident will be thoroughly investigated, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings. We must ensure that every necessary measure is put in place to prevent such tragedies from recurring," Keerthana said.
Apple now makes roughly one in four of its iPhones in India. It recently reported an all-time high revenue in India for the September quarter, alongside record performance in Mac and services revenue and a September-quarter high in terms of iPhone upgraders, reflecting strong momentum across its businesses in this key market.
India emerged among standout markets for the tech giant, with several callouts in the September quarter performance.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.