RAHIM YAR KHAN, Dec 29: Around 100,000 maunds of cotton worth millions of rupees were reduced to ashes in a factory fire on Wednesday.

The fire engulfed cotton stocks at the Anwar Cotton Ginning and Oil Mills on Khanpur Road, seven kilometres from here. Due to strong wind, fire spread within no time. Smoke also engulfed the entire area.

Fire fighters from Rahim Yar Khan, Khanpur and Sadiqabad reached the scene at around 2:30pm but failed to extinguish the fire till 5:30pm. Attempts are being made to save hundreds of cotton bales which were kept aside.

Factory owner Seith Anwar, district and police officers supervised the operation. No causalities were reported. The cause of fire could not be ascertained.