By Haripriya Suresh and Praveen Paramasivam
BENGALURU (Reuters) – Indian authorities are set to start a forensic investigation into the reason for a hearth that broke out on Saturday at a Tata Electronics manufacturing unit that makes parts for Apple (NASDAQ:) iPhones, a Tamil Nadu state official mentioned on Sunday.
The manufacturing unit, for which Sunday was a weekly vacation, is unlikely to obtain state permission to renew manufacturing by Monday, mentioned two individuals with direct data of the matter.
Neither Tata Electronics nor Apple responded to requests for remark exterior of standard enterprise hours. Tata Electronics beforehand mentioned it was investigating the trigger and would take steps to safeguard staff and different stakeholders.
The incident is the newest lately to have an effect on Apple suppliers in India, the place the U.S. agency is diversifying its provide chain past China and which it sees as a progress market.
The hearth on the plant within the metropolis of Hosur started in an space used to retailer chemical substances, a hearth official instructed Reuters.
It has been “completely put out” and fumes have stopped, mentioned district administrative official Ok.M. Sarayu.
Two staff who have been hospitalised are prone to be discharged on Sunday, she mentioned.
“We can now go in to investigate,” Sarayu mentioned, including {that a} forensic crew from state capital Chennai has been dispatched.
It was not clear if the hearth affected surrounding buildings, one among which is ready to start out assembling iPhones by year-end.
