Toyota's Tinajin production stop
August 17, 2015Toyota reported Monday it would suspend production at two plants in Tianjin, China, for three days after massive blasts at a chemical warehouse in the port city.
Officials said the operational halt of facilities could even take longer, if Chinese authorities continued detoxification work because of chemicals released in the blasts.
The Japanese carmaker saw windows shattered in one of its joint venture plants located nearby, while a second facility depended on getting parts from the damaged production unit.
The two plants had been scheduled to resume operations on Monday after an eight-day summer break.
Scores injured
Toyota said the three-day suspension to last until at least Wednesday evening would affect the production of some 5,000 vehicles.
The company also announced that about 50 employees were injured in the blasts. Toyota's main Tianjin factory produces the Corolla, the Vios sedan and other models and manufactures 440,000 units per year with a workforce of 12,000.
Other Japanese firms including carmaker Mazda and electronics giant Panasonic also reported minor damage to its plants in the Chinese industrial compound. Panasonic said it was halting operations for safety checks on Monday.
hg/sri (AFP, dpa)