According to a report by Associated Press (News - Alert), Apple’s supplier Pegatron Corp. reported an explosion in its plant in Shanghai. In fact, as per the AP report, Chinese authorities are now investigating the cause of this explosion, which took place over the weekend. Dozens of workers were injured at the Shanghai factory of Riteng Computer Accessory Co., a subsidiary of Pegatron Corp.

Some critics are blaming iPhone (News - Alert) and iPad maker Apple for alleged violations of labor and environmental standards by its China-based supplier. However, Apple said that it is working to resolve such problems.

Reports in local media indicate that around 61 people were injured due to the explosion and more than 20 were taken to nearby hospitals. However, there were no serious injuries.

AP report quoted Apple China spokeswoman Carolyn Wu, as saying, “Our hearts go out to the people who were hurt in Songjiang. We are working closely with Pegatron (News - Alert) to understand the cause of this accident.” Apple would not elaborate on this accident, nor talk about its suppliers in China.

Pegatron said, in a statement, that the blast took place in dust collection equipment, wrote AP reporter Elaine Kurtenbach. According to the New York-based watch group China Labor, the explosion occurred when aluminum dust from polishing cases for iPads caught fire, wrote Kurtenbach.

This is not the first time an explosion occurred in China factory due to combustible dust collection. As per the AP report, a similar explosion happened in May at a factory of electronics manufacturer Foxconn Technology Group (News - Alert). As a result, three workers died and 15 were injured. Foxconn said that it was an explosion of combustible dust in a duct at the plant in the southwestern city of Chengdu, Kurtenbach wrote.

The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) calls aluminum dust a highly combustible substance and special precautions should be taken when making it.