Mangalore : Cotton stocks  worth Rs 6 lakhs were reduced to ashes in a godown belonging to a mattress manufacturing firm, owned by Mohd. Fayaz of Katipalla, in Mundoly of Someshwara Village on city outskirts on Thursday.
Workers inside the cottage factory ran out for safety. The fire brigade came late on the scene, but local residents helped to supply water in pipes to subdue flames that burnt down 2 Sintex tanks of water, pipes and pumpsets located near the factory.

The fire tenders arriving late had to lay down half a km long pipes to douse the flames. Meanwhile, local (Ullal) MLA, U.T Khader visited the damned site, and expressed his sorrow. He also felt such hazardous units of industry should not have been located in a residential area, with no access to main roads. Ullal police are investigating, following a complaint lodged with them.