CHENGDU, CHINA – Combustible dust in an air duct at a polishing workshop caused Foxconn’s explosion in China this month that killed three workers and injured 15, say published reports.

The firm since instituted a partial shutdown of the plant here, raising concerns about supply disruptions for some Apple products, including the iPad.

The explosion could cause a loss of production of 500,000 iPad 2 tablets during the second quarter, according to IHS iSuppli. A Shenzhen factory may not be able to compensate for the Chengdu disruption, the research firm says.

• Prev
• Next