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Indian authorities are investigating the cause of a fire that broke out at Tata Electronics plant in Tamil Nadu.
The Indian conglomerate is one of the major contract manufacturers of iPhones alongside Foxconn and Pegatron in the country. Over the years, Apple has ramped up its manufacturing efforts in India in a bid to diversify its supply chain beyond China. Hence, the latest disruption at the Tata plant is likely a setback for the Cupertino-based tech giant.
The fire broke out at one of the buildings inside the Tata complex in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. The Reuters report cited a fire official and stated that the fire began in an area that was used to store chemicals. It was swiftly brought under control with thankfully no human casualties or injuries. A Tata Electronics spokesperson said that their emergency protocols ensured the safety of all employees.
District administrative official K.M. Sarayu said a forensic team from Chennai has been sent to investigate what caused the blaze. The factory is unlikely to commence manufacturing operations any time soon as per two people familiar with the matter. It remains to be seen if the incident has affected surrounding buildings out of which one of them is set to start assembling iPhones by year-end.
The Tata plant at Hosur is a crucial component supplier for Apple’s iPhones. The latest disruption could delay Apple’s plans of starting the iPhone assembly duties by the end of this year.
Apple did not comment on the incident and it has faced similar manufacturing challenges in the past in India.
