A big explosion at a scrap warehouse in Vietnam’s northern Bac Ninh province has killed at least two children and injured eight other people, state-run Vietnam News Agency reported.

The blast occured at 4.30am on Wednesday morning in Yen Phong district, demolishing neighbouring buildings and sending debris flying through the air.

Some bullets were reportedly found at the scene.

According to a report from the provincial health department seen by AFP, a one-year-old boy and a girl were killed.

At least eight others were injured by the blast, district authorities said in a statement.

The sale of unexploded bombs used during the Vietnam War continues to be a source of income for many families.

According to the United Nations, 104,000 Vietnamese people have been killed by bombs, land mines and artillery shells since the end of the war in 1975.