Canberra, Australia: Authorities are currently investigating a fire that erupted last weekend at Tata Electronics' facility in India, which manufactures components for iPhones. Production at the plant has been indefinitely suspended.

Located in Hosur, the plant produces back panels and other parts for iPhones, while a neighboring building was scheduled to begin iPhone assembly later this year.

The fire broke out around 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, leading to a roof collapse. Local reports suggest the fire originated in a unit where mobile phone accessories are painted.

The blaze caused a chemical hazard, forcing the evacuation of 523 workers present at the time. Ten individuals received medical attention, with two hospitalized.

September 30, 2024

Tata Electronics has yet to officially comment on the situation, but a spokesperson has reportedly assured other media outlets that "all employees are safe."

Krishnagiri district collector K M Sarayu stated on Saturday that the fumes created by the fire posed a chemical hazard, preventing search and rescue teams from entering the building. She added, "We cannot assess the cause of the fire until we can access the site, which will take one or two days."

Coincidentally, on the same day as the fire, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran announced plans to hire an additional 20,000 employees for the facility, doubling its workforce.

Tata Electronics began producing components for Apple products in 2023, as Apple shifted some of its manufacturing out of China. Tata is the first Indian company to produce iPhone parts, joining Apple's long-time partner Foxconn, which also has a strong presence in India.

As tech companies seek to diversify their supply chains by moving to India, the country has also been leveraging this industry to boost its economy. In May, former IT Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar mentioned that Apple expects a quarter of all iPhones to be produced in India by 2028.