Three workers die during tank maintenance at Tata iPhone parts factory

Three contract workers died while carrying out tank maintenance at Tata Electronics' factory near Hosur in Tamil Nadu. The facility makes components for Apple iPhones, according to India Today.

The first account differed from later reporting on the cause of death. On November 9, Times of India described the incident as drowning during cleaning inside a feed tank at Tata Marigold Company. It identified the workers as Kaveri, J Akmal and Sarath Kumar, all from Rayakottai.

By November 10, reports were pointing to gas inhalation. NDTV, citing police, said the workers had been cleaning a wastewater storage tank known as the Nano Filter, or NF, Tank.

A district official cited by Al Jazeera said the workers inhaled gas while inspecting an external nano-filtration tank. That account describes inspection rather than cleaning, but both reports place the incident at a tank.

The Hindu reported that the deaths were from asphyxiation. This differs from the initial drowning account, although the supplied coverage does not explain how the cause was established.

The employment arrangements also came into focus on November 10. Mint reported that Nalco Water said the workers were employed by a subcontractor.

Local authorities are investigating, with Apple and Tata assisting them, according to AppleInsider. Mint also reported that the two companies would probe the deaths. The coverage provided does not establish which gas was involved or assign responsibility for the incident.

The pending investigations will need to establish how the workers were exposed and the circumstances of their work inside the tank. The company inquiries reported by Mint are another step to watch, alongside the local authorities' investigation. The supplied reports give no timetable for findings.