The fire broke out at around 2 a.m. in a small alley in Trung Van Ward, a 30-minute drive from downtown Hanoi.

More than 300 firefighters were dispatched to the scene to put the fire under control. However, the complex contained flammable materials like wood and plastic products that fueled the fire and hindered the firefighters.

It took them around two hours to douse the blaze.

Local authorities have confirmed that at least eight people have been killed and four workshops destroyed. Police and rescue workers are still searching the complex for missing people.

The four facilities destroyed included a warehouse, a workshop producing moisture grains, a storage space for wooden products, and a plastic bin making facility.

A warehouse built with iron sheets is damaged after the fire. Photo by VnExpress

An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire.

Vietnam reported more than 4,075 fire incidents last year, which killed 122 people and caused damage worth around VND1.7 trillion ($73.2 million), according to official figures.

In July 2017, a huge blaze destroyed a confectionery making facility in Hanoi’s outlying district of Hoai Duc, killing eight and seriously injuring two others.