VEHARI, Nov 18: Around 1,600 cotton bales were reduced to ashes after the Data cotton factory caught fire on Vehari-Luddan Road late on Thursday night. Six labourers, including Siddique, Manawar Ali, Aslam, Riaz and Dilawar, who sustained injuries during the rescue operation, were admitted to hospital. While the fire could not be controlled by firefighters of Burewala, Mailsi, Hasilpur and Vehari towns even after the lapse of 12 hours. Till the filing of this report by Friday evening, about 70 per cent of the fire could be brought under control.

According to factory employees, the loss could be estimated at Rs10 million. The reason for the eruption of fire could not be known immediately.