explosion

Foxconn: No delays in iPad supply after explosion

The explosion at a Foxconn factory on Friday that killed 3 workers and injured another 15 will not affect production of Apple's iPad or iPhone, according to comments made by the company yesterday.

The factory near Chengdu, China, has temporarily suspended production while police investigate the explosion.

In a meeting with suppliers yesterday, Terry Gou, chairman of Foxconn parent company Hon Hai, reportedly emphasized that the explosion would not delay iPad 2 production or new products related to the iPad or iPhone that are set for production in the third quarter, according to China Times (Google Translate version).

The … Read more

Inside Foxconn's fatal iPad factory

"Among the three factories, occupational health and safety issues in Chengdu are alarming."

That passage is from a report (PDF) released by the Hong Kong-based group Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour (SACOM) two weeks before Friday's explosion at Foxconn's Chengdu plant that killed two workers and injured more than a dozen others.

SACOM researchers visited Foxconn plants in Chengdu, where iPads are produced; in Chongqing, a smaller facility making mostly HP products; and Foxconn's huge campus in Shenzhen, where half a million workers assemble a variety of computers, mobile phones, and additional products for Apple, HP, Nokia, Dell, and others. The researchers claim to have observed a number of problems at the Chengdu facilities in particular:

Workers do not have adequate training on usage of chemicals and do not have regular on-post health examinations. A number of interviewees even complain they suffer from allergy, but the management does not probe into the adverse health impacts of workers. Workers also highlight the problem of poor ventilation and inadequate personal protective equipment.

While SACOM notes the lack of ventilation as a possible threat to workers' respiratory health, it appears that it may also have been a contributing factor to Friday's explosion, which reportedly was centered in the "polishing" section of Foxconn's facilities. … Read more

Two die in explosion at Foxconn iPad plant

An explosion at a Foxconn factory near Chengdu, China, has killed at least two people and injured 16, according to a statement sent from the company, which reportedly manufactures Apple iPads at the site.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the explosion occurred Friday night near the southwestern China facility, halting production.

In a statement initially sent to Gizmodo, Foxconn says the situation is now under control and the production hold will continue while police investigate.

Here's the full statement, which Foxconn sent to CNET this afternoon:

We can confirm that at approximately 7 p.m. on May 20, there was an explosion at our Chengdu campus. At this point, we can also confirm that there were two fatalities with injuries to 16 other employees. We are working with medical officials to provide treatment to the injured employees and we are working with government and law enforcement officials to contact the families of all employees affected by this tragedy.

The situation has been brought under control by the fire department and the cause of this explosion is being investigated by local police officials. Foxconn is cooperating fully with that investigation. Production has been suspended at the site of the explosion until the completion of the investigation. 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.

Apple did not immediately return CNET's request for comment, but it did provide the following statement to AllThingsD. "We are deeply saddened by the tragedy at Foxconn's plant in Chengdu, and our hearts go out to the victims and their families. We are working closely with Foxconn to understand what caused this terrible event."… Read more

New nanomaterial could detect, neutralize explosives

If a group of scientists can get their project off the ground, there's a chance U.S. air travelers may one day be able to bring aboard more liquids in their carry-on luggage again.

The team, led by Oklahoma State University chemistry professor Allen Apblett, has come up with what it says is a nanomaterial that can both detect and neutralize some dangerous explosives. If deployed in a practical manner at airports in the U.S. and elsewhere around the world, it could, in theory, make it possible once again for some people to bring more liquids with them … Read more

Second explosion at Japanese nuclear plant

Buildup of hydrogen gas at a Japanese nuclear reactor caused an explosion today, but as with an earlier explosion Saturday, the reactor's containment vessel remains intact, the International Atomic Energy Agency said.

The explosion took place at the unit 3 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi at 11:01 a.m. local Japan time, the United Nations agency said in a statement. And Tokyo Electric Power, which operates the plant, said in its own statement, "The status of the plant and the impact of radioactive materials to the outside environment are presently under investigation.

"All personnel at the … Read more

That exploding Droid? Maybe not so much

Sure, laptop batteries have had a tendency to explode. I even had a Handspring Visor that randomly went pop and spilled smoke on a table next to me. But there aren't that many stories going around these days about smartphones exploding, except the curious case of Aron Embry, who claims that his Motorola Droid exploded in his ear as he was using it.

On one hand, it's hard to doubt him: he showed his injuries, as well as the cracked and blood-splattered phone, to the local news in Dallas Fort-Worth. On the other hand, some of us were skeptical, as you don't typically see that kind of behavior in smartphones. Embry seemed sincere, but we thought there might be something else going on. The phone, said to be post-explosive, still worked.

But then Gearlog caught word from an anonymous Motorola employee who says the phone in question didn't explode.

The theory is that Embry dropped the phone, which shattered the glass, and then put it up to his ear without first looking at it, likely when answering a call. The shattered glass then simply gashed his ear.… Read more

Man claims Motorola Droid 2 exploded in his ear

You have, perhaps, occasionally had your ear bitten off over the phone. However, fewer are the people who have experienced their phone actually exploding into their ear, causing bleeding and a strange sensation of surprise.

However, such is the claim being made by one Aron Embry of Cedar Hills, Texas, who told Fox4 in Dallas Fort-Worth that his two-day-old Motorola Droid 2 blew up on him without reason as he was getting into his car.

His description to Fox4 offers an atmosphere redolent of David Cronenberg: "I heard a pop. I didn't feel any pain initially. I pulled the phone down. I felt something dripping. I realized that it was probably was blood."

Embry reports that the horror deepened when he went back into his house. "As I got into the bathroom and once I got to the mirror and saw it, it was only then I kinda looked at my phone and noticed the screen had appeared to burst outward," he said. … Read more

Divining rod reborn as explosive-detection device

We've all seen how fashion frequently goes full circle and brings back designs our grandparents wore, but we would never have guessed the same for dowsing. Popular during ancient times, it was believed that a pair of simple divining rods could magically detect water underground.

Seems dowsing is coming back, albeit with an unexpected angle. British company ATSC (UK) is selling a portable explosive detection device called the ADE 651, which brings bomb detection technology to another (magical) level with claims it can detect guns, ammunition, explosives, and even contraband items from more than half a mile through obstacles … Read more

PowerSafe jumper cables take danger out of playing with electricity

I was given my first set of jumper cables at the same time I received my first car. Before setting me loose on the world, my father gave me a very serious speech about the dangers of improperly jump-starting a vehicle. I was warned of potential electrocution, sparks igniting gasoline fires, and--most seriously--acid spewing battery explosions if the cables weren't connected in just the right way and in just the right order. Even armed with this sacred knowledge, I still throw sparks every time I jump-start a car, just for kicks. Sorry, dad.

However, most drivers didn't get … Read more