Eight homeless people die in New Orleans blaze

A blaze in an abandoned warehouse in New Orleans has killed eight homeless people who were burning wood in a barrel to stay warm during a freezing night.

Local Fire Department spokesman Greg Davis said the fire was reported just before 2am, and the building was fully ablaze when the first truck arrived.

Survivors told firefighters that at least some of the people inside were unconscious. Davis said they might have been knocked out by carbon monoxide, which was likely to build up in the enclosed area.

The building was on the edge of a working-class residential neighbourhood.

Authorities are trying to find out the identities of the victims.