Firefighters battled on Saturday to douse a fire that halted production at a major Tata Electronics plant in southern India which makes components for Apple’s iPhone, three people with knowledge of the situation said.

There were no reports of casualties, but it was not immediately clear how extensively the fire, near a building set to turn out complete smartphones soon, would disrupt operations of the plant in the city of Hosur in Tamil Nadu state.

Tata Electronics is one of the major contract makers of iPhones in India, along with Foxconn. The company said it was investigating the cause of the fire and would take necessary steps to safeguard employees and other stakeholders.

“There has been an unfortunate incident of fire,” a Tata Electronics spokesperson said in a statement. “Our emergency protocols at the plant ensured that all employees are safe.”

The fire caused the collapse of a building at the plant but no casualties were reported, a fire services official said.

“We can’t go inside now as the pathway is destroyed,” said J. Saravanan, a senior district official charged with handling industrial safety, adding, “It will take one day for it to cool down.”

Authorities were investigating the cause, he said.

Production was halted and employees were sent home for the day because of the fire, a person with direct knowledge of the incident said earlier, describing the blaze as chemical-related.

A second industry source aware of the plant’s operations said certain iPhone components were made at the affected building. However, the source added, it was not yet clear if a neighbouring building, where smartphone manufacturing was due to start by year-end, had also been affected.

With the facility inaccessible at the moment, the source said, an assessment of damage from the fire will have to be done later.

Apple made no immediate comment on the incident.

Firefighters will need time to extinguish the fire, which began in an area used to store chemicals, the fire official said on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorised to speak to the media.

More than 10 fire and rescue vehicles were fighting the flames, The Hindu newspaper said.

Opinion

Editorial

Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...
Islamabad protest
Updated 20 Nov, 2024

Islamabad protest

As Nov 24 draws nearer, both the PTI and the Islamabad administration must remain wary and keep within the limits of reason and the law.
PIA uncertainty
20 Nov, 2024

PIA uncertainty

THE failed attempt to privatise the national flag carrier late last month has led to a fierce debate around the...
T20 disappointment
20 Nov, 2024

T20 disappointment

AFTER experiencing the historic high of the One-day International series triumph against Australia, Pakistan came...