rocketpocket: Foxconn confirms third death from explosion, earlier watchdog report points at aluminum dust (updated)

Monday, May 23, 2011

Foxconn confirms third death from explosion, earlier watchdog report points at aluminum dust (updated)

Following the tragic explosion at Foxconn's Chengdu plant on Friday, the company has now confirmed to All Things Digital the death of a third employee, with nine remaining in hospital. While investigation is still ongoing, initial findings are pointing at "an explosion of combustible dust in a duct" at one of the polishing workshops, which supports earlier rumors of dust explosion; though there's no confirmation on what caused the ignition just yet.

In related news: two weeks before the fatal accident, watchdog group SACOM released a report on the welfare of workers at the new Chengdu plant. Amongst the uncovering of management issues, excessive working hours, and hazardous environment, PC World highlights complaints from workers about the large amount of aluminum dust -- which is highly explosive -- floating around the polishing department, thus suggesting a lack of proper dust extraction methods within the facility. Foxconn has previously slammed this report, but the outcome of this explosion's investigation should once and for all prove who's telling the truth. For now, though, the priority is to make sure the victims and their families are taken care of.

Full statement from Foxconn after the break.

Update: According to China Times' industry sources, the explosion has only affected some storage facilities and chemical coating lines, though Foxconn president Terry Gou is said to be reallocating some production to his Shenzhen plant as a just-in-case measure.

Continue reading Foxconn confirms third death from explosion, earlier watchdog report points at aluminum dust (updated)

Foxconn confirms third death from explosion, earlier watchdog report points at aluminum dust (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 May 2011 23:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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