Three contract workers died on Monday evening at a Tata Electronics plant near Hosur, in Tamil Nadu.
They were cleaning a wastewater tank when they collapsed one after another.
The plant is in Vanniyapuram, in Krishnagiri district. It makes components for Apple iPhones.
The deaths have led to a government probe and questions about worker safety.
Key points
- Three contract workers died while maintaining a wastewater tank at a Tata Electronics plant.
- The workers are suspected to have breathed in toxic gas.
- The Tamil Nadu government has ordered an investigation.
- The exact cause will be known after post-mortem examinations.
How did the three workers die?
The workers were part of a group assigned by a contractor.
They were cleaning an effluent treatment plant, which is the system that treats waste water.
Officials say the workers may have breathed in gas while inspecting a nano-filtration tank.
This is a tank that filters water very finely.
According to Krishnagiri district collector C Dinesh Kumar, Akmal, 28, lost consciousness first.
Sarathikumar, 25, went to check on him and also collapsed.
Kaveri then entered the tank to help the two men. He also lost consciousness.
All three were taken to a private hospital in Hosur, where they were declared dead.
Why does worker safety at this plant matter?
The district collector said proper safety steps had not been followed during the work.
The district administration and police have started an investigation.
The Hosur site is important to Apple's supply chain.
Tata's electronics unit makes about 40 percent of iPhone assembly in India.
Graphic: News Anek, from the facts in this report
The site has faced problems before. A fire stopped production at the components plant in 2024.
This year, state authorities warned of a shutdown over alleged groundwater contamination, before dropping the matter.
What happens next for the families and the plant?
Tamil Nadu Industries Minister Virudhai Magal Keerthana expressed condolences.
She said she had asked the district administration to help the families.
In a post on X, she said the incident will be investigated.
She said action will be taken based on the findings and that measures are needed to prevent similar deaths.
Officials from the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health, police and the district administration visited the facility. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examinations at the government medical college hospital in Krishnagiri.
Explainer
What happened before
- In 2024, a fire halted production at the components plant at Tata's Hosur site.
- This year, state authorities warned of a shutdown over alleged groundwater contamination, before dropping the matter.
- A ransomware breach at an adjacent iPhone plant in the same compound leaked documents.
Why it matters
The plant makes parts for Apple iPhones, so the deaths raise questions about safety in factories that build them.
What to watch next
- Post-mortem findings will confirm the cause of death.
- The district administration and police are investigating the incident.
