Tata Electronics faced a significant setback on Saturday as a massive fire broke out at its mobile phone accessories painting facility in Hosur, temporarily halting the production of iPhone components. The plant is the only Indian vendor supplying parts for Apple’s iconic iPhone.
The fire reportedly started around 5:30 am, and as of 4:45 pm, 11 fire engines were still on-site trying to control the flames. According to sources, the fire had not yet been fully extinguished. In a statement, Tata Electronics assured that all employees were safe, crediting the company’s emergency protocols for preventing any injuries. “The cause of the fire is under investigation, and necessary actions will be taken to safeguard our employees and stakeholders,” the company said.
Sources familiar with the situation confirmed that all employees were safely evacuated, and only eight required medical attention. They were treated and are now in stable condition. However, significant property damage was reported, and the root cause of the fire is still being assessed.
A firefighter involved in the operation mentioned that they received an emergency call around 5:45 am and were informed that the fire originated in a chemical storage area or godown, though details were still being verified. “Eleven fire vehicles were deployed, and thankfully no employees were hurt,” the firefighter said. By late afternoon, fire crews were still working to extinguish lingering embers.
As of now, it remains unclear how long production will be halted or how severely the fire will impact supply chains for iPhone components.
In a separate development, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran spoke earlier that morning about Tata Electronics’ workforce expansion plans. He mentioned that the company is preparing to hire over 20,000 employees at its new iPhone assembly plant in Hosur, bringing the total number of workers at the facility to 40,000. Despite the fire, the company is committed to ramping up its operations in the region.
