Three Workers Die After Inhaling Toxic Fumes at Tata Plant in Tamil Nadu, Probe Ordered

Three contract workers died after inhaling toxic fumes while cleaning a wastewater treatment tank at a utility facility inside the Tata Electronics plant in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, triggering an investigation into possible safety lapses at the factory that manufactures components for Apple iPhones.

The incident occurred on Monday evening when the workers were engaged in removing accumulated sludge from an effluent treatment plant (ETP) storage tank operated by Nalco Water, an Ecolab company.

The deceased have been identified as Kaveri (30), a resident of Hosur, and B Akmal (28) and M Sarathi Kumar (28), both from Dharmapuri district. Police said the workers were exposed to poisonous gases and dangerously low oxygen levels inside the enclosed tank, leading to their deaths by asphyxiation.

According to the police, Akmal first looked inside the tank to inspect it but collapsed after being exposed to the toxic fumes. When he failed to return, Sarathi Kumar entered the tank to check on him and also fainted. Kaveri subsequently rushed inside in an attempt to rescue his colleagues but too collapsed. A fourth worker who witnessed the incident alerted other staff members.

All three were rescued and rushed to a private hospital in Hosur, where doctors declared them dead on arrival. Their bodies were later shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Krishnagiri for post-mortem examinations.

Krishnagiri District Collector C Dinesh Kumar, who inspected the site, said asphyxiation during sludge removal was the primary cause of death. He confirmed that a comprehensive inquiry had been initiated to examine possible violations of safety regulations.

Tamil Nadu Industries Minister Virudhai Magal Keerthana expressed grief over the deaths and assured that the incident would be thoroughly investigated. She said the district administration had been instructed to extend all necessary assistance to the bereaved families and take urgent steps to address the situation.

Nalco Water said the deceased were employed by one of its subcontractors and that it was cooperating with local authorities in the investigation. The company expressed condolences and said it would extend all possible support to the families.

There was no official statement from Tata Electronics or Apple at the time of the report. Apple is learnt to be examining the incident.