Faulty smoke detectors, sprinklers at Apple supplier Foxlink Andhra facility: Report

A massive fire broke out at Apple supplier Foxlink's factory in Andhra Pradesh on Monday, due to which part of the building collapsed. Though no casualties were reported, roughly 50 percent of the machinery has been damaged. According to reports, Foxlink, which makes iPhone charging cables, won't be able to resume full operations for two months, which raises concerns of supply for Apple.

Of the total 10 assembly lines, four have been completely damaged. But the production at the remaining six assembly lines is likely to resume later in the week, Reuters reported. The estimated loss due to the inferno is expected to be around Rs 50 to Rs 75 crore.

Faulty safety equipment at Foxlink

In another shocking revelation, it has been uncovered that the Foxlink's India facility in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh had faulty safety equipment, which led to slower response in containing the fire. According to Reuters, which has quoted a top fire safety official, smoke detectors, sprinklers and fire hydrants were non-functional. Only the fire extinguishers were in working condition.

As soon as the fire broke out, the evacuation started. Since the shift workers were already moving out for their lunch, the evacuation was quick. Fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the fire was brought under control by 5 p.m.