Tragedy struck this past Friday at a Foxconn manufacturing plant in Chengdu, China, when an explosion at the facility killed at least three employees. The explosion took place in the facility’s Apple iPad manufacturing area.

The incident occurred at the technology group's Hongfujin Precision Electronics Facility, one of Foxconn's many Chinese manufacturing plants.

The explosion appears to have occurred in a polishing workshop at the plant, and while an investigation is underway, initial findings are pointing towards an explosion of combustible dust inside an air duct.

In addition to the three fatalities, the explosion also injured fifteen other employees, six of whom have since been released from hospital.

Foxconn has stated that a government investigation has been launched, and that production at the plant has been halted. It also said that all workshops that carry out similar duties (polishing workshops) have had their operations suspended until the cause of the accident has been found.

The main suspect in the case appears to be highly explosive aluminium dust. PC World noted that a recent report from watchdog group SACOM reported complaints from workers about a large amount of this dust floating around certain areas of work. Foxconn dismissed the report.

Photo courtesy of Engadget.