Blast at Foxconn iPad factory kills two workers

An explosion and fire has rocked a factory in China owned by infamous components maker Foxconn, where Apple iPad 2 devices are being manufactured, according to reports.

The blast occurred at Foxconn's Chengdu factory in China's Sichuan province, reportedly killing two and injuring 16.

Company spokesman Edmund Ding told Bloomberg that the fire is now under control.

"The company has halted production at the site of the explosion until the investigation is complete," he wrote in an email to the news service.

Foxconn was rarely out of the news in 2010, after allegations of staff exploitation and reports revealing poor working conditions at the firm's plants.

In addition, Foxconn's facility in Longhua in the southern Guangdong province saw over 10 suicides during the year.

The company, which also makes kit for technology vendors such as Dell, was forced to undergo a restructuring of its manufacturing base in response.

The affected plant in Sichuan province was part of a drive to build smaller factories closer to workers' homes.

Apple's iPad devices continue to dominate the tablet market, maintaining a healthy lead over its rivals including several new Android devices flooding the market.

Apple's iPad comprised a whopping 80 per cent of tablets sold in the first quarter of 2011, according to research from analyst firm Context.

The 64GB 3G iPad 2 continues to be the most popular version, although Android tablets are beginning to make inroads into Apple's share.