Melbourne factory fire under control

A factory blaze in Melbourne's north is under control after firefighters called in aerial and other specialist equipment.

Crews were called to the Thomastown site, believed to be a soap manufacturing and packing plant, early on Saturday to find it well alight.

Fourteen trucks were involved in what was expected to be a futile effort to save the building.

Images posted by a local resident on Facebook show thick, black smoke billowing from the premises.

The cause of the fire is still to be determined.