At least eight people were killed on Tuesday when a fire swept through an abandoned warehouse in New Orleans used by the homeless to escape biting cold.

Fire Chief of New Orleans Charles Parent said the victims appeared to be vagrants who had sought warmth inside the building at St. Ferdinand and Prieur as temperatures dipped below freezing across the area.

Parent said eight are confirmed dead with two survivors but that search dogs will be used once the scene cools down to see if there are other bodies.

Parent told WWL-TV that survivors say the fire started when people burned wood in a barrel to stay warm.