Apple Supplier Halts Production After Massive Fire At India Facility

Apple supplier Foxlink has suspended production at its assembly facility in Tirupati district in Andhra Pradesh, India, after a massive fire tore into some parts of the facility.

The fire broke out at around 1:15 p.m. on Monday at the Foxlink facility where iPhone chargers are made, according to a CNBC report. Around 750 employees reportedly evacuated during the incident, and no casualties have been reported.

"At around 1:15 p.m., a fire broke out at a Foxlink facility where cables are manufactured," Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Renigunta said, as quoted by CNBC. "The timely arrival of fire brigades at the spot ensured that the fire remained confined to one shed and did not spread to the other two that house the dining area and kitchens."

"The largest shed among the three was charred, while the other two were safe. The largest shed is where all the production takes place," he added.

Foxlink, a unit of Taiwan's Cheng Uei Precision Industry Co. Ltd., built the factory in Andhra in 2020.

J Ramanaiah, who is in charge of the Tirupati Disaster Response and Fire Services Department, reportedly said that approximately half of the machinery at the Foxlink facility got damaged, while half of the building collapsed.

The fire spread quickly due to fiber sheets and sponges stocked at the facility, according to CNBC.

Meanwhile, Foxlink has estimated the damage caused by the fire to be worth 1 billion Indian rupees ($12 million), according to the outlet.

Both Apple and Foxlink are yet to respond to queries, according to Reuters, as the business impact of the incident on Apple remains unknown.

"Management has conveyed to us that they estimate a loss of roughly 1 billion rupees ($12 million) from the incident," Ramanaiah said.

Huge plumes of smoke from the plant were seen in photos and videos obtained by Reuters.

Foxlink designs and manufactures cable assemblies, connectors, power management devices and battery packs for global tech companies. The company is one of Apple's supplier partners in India.