Listen to the article
Three contract workers died on 9 November at a Tata Electronics factory near Hosur in Tamil Nadu, India, after police suspect they inhaled toxic gas while performing maintenance on an industrial wastewater treatment tank. The facility manufactures metal casings and back panels for Apple iPhones; a separate Tata plant in the same industrial complex assembles finished devices for Apple.
The three men — B Akmal, 28; M Sarathikumar, 25; and P Kaveri, 32 — were employed by a maintenance contractor and came from Dharmapuri district. They were cleaning and inspecting a nano-filtration tank used to treat industrial wastewater when the accident occurred. One worker lost consciousness while examining the tank; two colleagues collapsed after attempting to help him. A fourth worker raised the alarm. Emergency personnel transported all three to a nearby hospital, where they were pronounced dead. Post-mortem examinations are expected to establish the precise cause of death.
The accident took place while the factory was closed for the Deepavali holiday. Nalco Water, a unit of US-based Ecolab, operated the wastewater treatment facility and had engaged the contractor that employed the three victims.
Krishnagiri district collector C Dinesh Kumar said proper safety precautions had not been followed. Both Apple and Tata have ordered investigations into the incident.
A local official, identified on social media as Virudhai Magal Keerthana, said she had spoken to the district administration and directed it to extend support to the affected families. “The safety and dignity of every worker must remain paramount,” she wrote, adding that appropriate action would be taken based on the findings of a thorough investigation.
A facility with a recent safety record
The Hosur plant has faced safety and environmental concerns before. In September 2024, a fire in a chemical storage area disrupted production and left 11 people suffering from smoke inhalation and other health problems. Earlier in 2026, the facility also faced allegations that industrial wastewater had contaminated agricultural wells in the surrounding area. Tata said it had addressed the concerns raised by the pollution regulator, and authorities subsequently dropped further action.