A sudden fire broke out during tobacco curing in Kuppe village, Saligrama taluk, completely destroying a curing barn in the early hours today.
The barn, owned by Visvesvaraya, was engulfed in flames around 3 am, resulting in an estimated loss of ₹5 lakh.
Firefighters rushed to the spot and managed to douse the blaze before it spread to adjacent structures. Officials from the Kattemalalvadi division of the Tobacco Board also inspected the site to assess the damage.
Preliminary reports suggest the fire was accidental, likely triggered by the curing process itself.
Tobacco Board representatives assured the affected farmer that compensation would be provided to cover the financial setback.
Local authorities have advised barn owners to adopt additional safety measures during curing to prevent similar incidents in the future.