Stefan Mileschin

An Apple supplier has suffered a gas poisoning accident resulting in the fatality of one person and four staff in hospital.

The accident, which occurred at a subsidiary of Catcher Technology, a Taiwanese company that builds casings for electronic devices, has been described as a result of "improper operation" by Chinese authorities.

The waste treatment facility, based in Suzhou, China, said the accident was an
isolated event and not "directly related to any manufacturing process, factory or materials".

The Suzhou Industrial Park Administrative Committee added that the accident had led to the poisoning of five workers while they were working at the facilty.

Following the accident, the workers were sent to the hospital. Of the four remaining workers, one has been transferred to normal hospital care, while the three others are still seeking treatment.

The future of the factory now lies with the authorities, which have closed it down and are carrying out investigations about what caused the poisoning.

Early findings suggest the poisoning was from hydrogen sulfide, a highly toxic and flammable gas known to collect in poorly ventilated areas such as basements and sewer lines. Despite no signs that the gas has filtered through to nearby residential areas, authorities have said they will continue to scrutinise the situation carefully.

Last year, Catcher Technology was ordered to suspend operations at a subsidiary factory after those living in neighbouring areas complained of a foul odour.

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