Coimbatore : Waste cotton bales worth lakhs of rupees were gutted in a fire at a godown in Irugur in the city on Saturday. No one was injured.

People nearby noticed black smoke billowing from the godown and alerted the workers and management, police said.

Around 30 workers inside the godown at the time of the fire rushed out to safety even before rescue personnel reached the spot.

Three fire tenders with 20 personnel were pressed into service and the fire was doused after nearly five hours.

While cause of the fire is still to be ascertained, the entire cotton stored in the godown was lost and the loss was yet to be estimated, police added.