NATIONAL: Building explodes killing four people

Four other people remain in hospital, one with serious injuries, following the blast in Leicester.

Police also believe there may still be people unaccounted for after the incident, and emergency crews are continuing a ‘search and rescue’ operation at the site on Hinckley Road.

Superintendent Shane O’Neill, of Leicestershire Police, said: ‘There are four confirmed fatalities at this stage and a number of people still undergoing treatment in hospital.

‘The building consisted of a shop premises on the ground level and a two-storey flat above it. We believe there may be people who have not yet been accounted for and rescue efforts continue in order to locate any further casualties.

‘Once the site is deemed to be safe a joint investigation with Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service will begin looking into the circumstances surrounding the incident, which at this stage is not being linked to terrorism.’

Emergency services responded to reports of the blast from concerned residents at about 7pm and police declared a major incident.

Firefighters worked through the night to dig through rubble and tackle the explosion’s subsequent blaze, and teams are expected to remain at the scene throughout the day.

Video taken at the scene on Sunday night showed flames billowing into the night sky as the fire engulfed what is believed to be a convenience store.

One clip appeared to show emergency services rushing to help someone close to flames that were visible from a distance.

The building appears to have stood next to a shop called TJ’s Takeaway.

Speaking to Sky News, Kat Pattinson, who lives on the same road as the fire, told how her ‘whole house shook’ when the blast happened.

She added: ‘We checked on our children first and foremost and then we went outside.

‘There is just an awful lot of smoke here at the moment and the whole area is cordoned off.’

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue sent six fire engines to the scene, and said the property had suffered a ‘pancake collapse’.

Witness Tahir Khan said: ‘I was driving past when it happened.

‘Loads of people were gathered and there was gas and flames coming out of the building.

‘I looked on the road and half the building was on the road. Literally the whole of the side of the building had been blown out.

‘I couldn’t believe it, it was like a Hollywood movie.’

An investigation will take place to establish the cause of the blaze.