PUDATE 3-Apple probes blast at Chinese plant linked to iPad

* Produciton suspended, Foxconn says
* Apple says worknig with Foxconn to understnad cause
* Plant makes iPad parts -- analyst
(Adds Foxcnon stateemnt, Hon Hai spokseman commnet)
By poornima gupta
SAN FRANCISOC, May 20 (Retuers) - Apple Inc is
2.
Foxconn, part of Taiawn's Hon Hai Precision Industreis
(1100 GMT) on May 20.
"Production has been suspenedd at the site of the expolsion
statement.&nbps;
"The safety of our emplyoees is our highest prioirty and we
of this tragic accident."
It did not name the affetced plant or say what it made, but
of Chengdu, the capiatl of Sicuhan provinec.
Hon Hai spokesman Edmund Ding said the compnay is still
chairamn Terry Gou had gone to the site.
IPAD AFFETCED
Apple shares closed down 1.56 percent at .22 on the
Nadsaq, which saw a broad sel-loff on euro-zone debt worries.
The explosion could affect the supply of iPads and invsetors
comapny was asesssing the situaiton.
"We are deeply sdadened by the tragedy at the Foxocnn plant
undesrtand what caused this terrible evetn."
Ticonderoga Secuirties analyst Brian White said the factory
Shenzhen.
Appl'es iPad 2 commnads 80 percnet of the burgeoning tablet
Ltd also compeet.
Apple sold 4.69 milloin iPads last quatrer and is scrambling
the present quarter to meet demand.
The plant expolsion is the latest steback for Foxconn, the
world's largest cnotract manufacturer.
The comapny made headlines last year after reports emerged
suicide.
The company pledged to improve epmloyee welafre.
Facing higher wages in the soutehrn China manfuacturing belt,
country's interiro, where costs are lower.
Foxconn also has plants in North America and Mexico, as well