India to Investigate Fire at Tata Plant Producing Components for Apple iPhones, Reports Reuters

By Haripriya Suresh and Praveen Paramasivam

BENGALURU – Indian authorities are preparing to launch a forensic investigation into the cause of a fire that erupted on Saturday at a Tata Electronics factory producing components for Apple iPhones, according to a Tamil Nadu state official.

As Sunday was a scheduled holiday for the factory, production is not expected to resume by Monday, based on information from two sources familiar with the situation.

Neither Tata Electronics nor Apple provided comments outside of regular business hours. The company has stated it is investigating the incident and will implement measures to protect employees and other stakeholders.

This incident marks yet another challenge for Apple suppliers in India, as the company aims to diversify its supply chain away from China and recognizes India as a key growth market.

The fire occurred in the chemical storage area of the plant located in Hosur, as reported by a fire official. The blaze has since been fully extinguished, and there are no longer any hazardous fumes, confirmed district administrative officer K.M. Sarayu.

Two workers treated for injuries from the fire are expected to be released from the hospital on Sunday.

Sarayu mentioned that a forensic team from the state capital, Chennai, has been dispatched to investigate the incident. It remains unclear if the fire has affected nearby buildings, one of which is scheduled to begin assembling iPhones by the end of the year.