Foxconn worker dies in fall

A FOXCONN employee died in a fall from a dormitory building in the early hours yesterday. The cause of the death is still under investigation.

The 23-year-old Hunan native, identified only as Liu, was found dead in front of his dormitory building at around 3 a.m. in zone J of Foxconn’s accommodation area, where he lived on the 14th floor with three roommates.

An initial investigation by police confirmed that Liu was alive before the fall.

An unidentified truck driver, who was unloading goods on the first floor of the dormitory at around 3 a.m., found Liu’s body and reported it to the management, said Wang Zhidong, manager of the accommodation area.

Liu was wearing only a T-shirt and underwear when he was found, Wang said.

Liu graduated from Xiangtan University in Hunan last year and was employed as a component designer by Foxconn’s Wireless Business Group (WLBG) last August, said Liu Kun, director of the company’s media office.

«The man had been receiving training for a management post since he joined the company. He had had a normal attendance record before the fall,» Liu Kun said.

Only two employees, including Liu, were present in the dormitory room when the tragedy occurred, while Liu’s other two roommates were on a night shift, Liu Kun said.

However, Liu Kun refused reporters access to the dead man’s roommates and said the victim’s family were on their way to Shenzhen.

A police officer with Yousong Police Station, named Zhao, said: «We received the report at around 3:30 a.m. and rushed to the scene.»

A group of journalists gathered at Foxconn’s north gate early yesterday morning for an interview, but were denied entry by security guards.

After receiving protests from the media, the management allowed journalists in.

This is the third such death this year. A male Foxconn worker fell to his death Jan. 23 and another man died March 11.

In July 2009, Sun Danyong of Foxconn committed suicide during an investigation into the loss of a prototype of Apple’s iPhone.

Foxconn employs 300,000 workers in Shenzhen.