Combustible aluminum dust that collected in factory air ducts is suspected as the cause of the explosion and fire at the Chengdu facility. The factory is said to be a location where some iPad production takes place, although neither Foxconn or Apple has offered an official confirmation.
The Chengdu explosion happened on Friday, May 20, and Foxconn has been cooperation with law enforcement investigations. “The safety of our employees is our highest priority and we will do whatever is required to determine and address the cause of this tragic accident,” the company said.
The factories that Foxconn took offline all handle product polishing near the end of the production process. Since the facilities handle products for several other companies, such as Dell, Sony and Nintendo, too, potential production delays could impact more than just Apple’s iPad.
Foxconn, however, is hoping to bring its plants back online before its customers suffer serious production delays. “The workshops could be back online as soon as they pass the test,” a company spokesperson said.