GUNTUR: About 7,000 cotton bales were destroyed in a fire at Swathi Cotton Private Limited in Ganapavaram of Guntur district late on Monday night. Eight fire tenders from Ongole, Chirala, Ponnuru, Narasaraopet, Guntur and Chilakaluripet rushed to the godown and extinguished the flames. By that time, 7,000 cotton bales were gutted. District Fire Officer V Srinivasa Reddy said the total loss was estimated at Rs 4 crore.
According to sources, some security guards who noticed fire in the godown, immediately informed the matter to the Fire Services Department. The godown belongs to Ankamma Rao, who is a relative of Civil Supplies Minister P Pulla Rao. The reason for the mishap is yet to be ascertained.Chilakaluripet Rural CI U Shobhan Babu, Nadendla SI K Chandrasekhar and other officials rushed to the spot and took up investigation.