
Four people have died after a huge explosion demolished a grocery store and the flat above it in Leicester.

Passers-by dug through the burning wreckage of Zabka Leicester store with their bare hands as emergency services raced to the scene, with flames shooting 50ft into the air.

The cause of the explosion, which occurred at 7.20pm last night while the grocery shop and its neighbouring takeaway restaurant and bar were open, remained a mystery today with gas engineers on site.

The horrifying moment the explosion obliterated the convenience store and two-storey flat above it was captured on CCTV. The footage shows smoke burst out onto the street at the moment of impact, before flames rip through the building. Stunned residents and passers-by are also seen watching on in horror from across the street.

Eight people were taken to hospital with injuries and this morning it emerged that four have died, while one person remains in critical condition. Police and fire chiefs revealed they are still searching for 'missing' people, who remain unaccounted for, and may still be trapped in the building.

Firefighters continued to battle the flames this morning and they cannot enter the site to search the wreckage for survivors until it is deemed safe. Leicestershire Police, who had earlier declared a 'major incident', said nothing 'at this stage' linked it to terrorism.

Aerial views of the scene showed the scale of devastation caused by the explosion, in what has been described as a 'pancake collapse'.

CCTV footage captured the moment the huge explosion obliterated the convenience store at around 7.30pm last night

Flames as high as 50ft in the air were seen coming from the building as a result of the huge explosion in Leicester

Firefighters continued to battle the flames this morning (pictured) and they cannot enter the site to search the wreckage for survivors until it is deemed safe

The explosion, which happened on Hinckley Road, Leicester, left a total of eight people in hospital - four of which have now been confirmed dead. Pictured is the scene this morning

An aerial view of the scene of the explosion in Leicester, where four people died and a three-storey building was demolished

An aerial view of the scene shows the scale of devastation caused by the explosion, in what has been described as a 'pancake collapse'

The cause of the explosion, which occurred at 7:20pm last night while the grocery shop and its neighbouring takeaway restaurant and bar were open, remained a mystery today with gas engineers on site

In the aftermath of the explosion, with rubble all over the street, shocked witnesses beginning the task of searching the wreckage for survivors

Superintendent Shane O'Neill of Leicestershire Police and Matt Cane, Group Manager of the fire brigade, speak to the media this morning

Nicola Bishop, 32, who runs Sunshine Studios a few doors down from the blast site, said she understands a family of four lived in the two-bedroom flat above the shop.

She said: 'I left my studios an hour before the explosion. I was at home when I heard about it from some customers asking if I was all right.

'I don't really use the shop which was destroyed but I have chatted to the owner who said he had recently let out the flat above to a family of four.

'It looks like they could be the victims. It's really shocking. Looking at videos of the explosion which are on social media it looks like the flames were as a result of a gas leak but I didn't smell anything when I left work. I'm so sorry for the family.'

Superintendent Shane O'Neill said: 'There are a large number of resources from various agencies at the scene in Hinckley Road and they are expected to be in place throughout the day.

'We know the explosion and subsequent fire will have caused considerable concern to residents and business owners in the area and we would like to thank people for their support and patience while teams continue with their work at the scene.

'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.

Sixty homes were evacuated and surrounding roads were shut as part of the emergency response after the former Londis store suffered what firefighters described as a 'pancake collapse'

Aerial view of the scene of an explosion in Leicester, where four people have been confirmed dead after a suspected gas blast

'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 are not being linked to terrorism.'

Electricity to a number of homes was affected by the incident and a cordon was put in place, but no neighbouring properties were evacuated overnight. Matt Cane, Group Manager, said: 'Crews have worked through the night, alongside partner agencies, as they continue to search the scene in order to try and locate any further survivors or casualties.

'We have six fire crews on scene, including a specialist search and rescue team who are supported by two search dogs, and this level of resourcing is likely to be in place throughout the day.

'The cause of the explosion and fire is still yet to be determined and we will work closely with colleagues from the police as our enquiries into the circumstances continue today.'

Police and fire chiefs revealed they are still searching for 'missing' people, who remain unaccounted for, and may still be trapped in the building. Pictured are firefighters at the scene this morning

The scene on Hinckley Road, Leicester, where firefighters continue to battle flames after an explosion at a shop

Police and fire chiefs revealed they are still searching for 'missing' people, who remain unaccounted for, and may still be trapped in the building

Firefighters at the scene on Hinckley Road in Leicester, where an explosion destroyed a shop building and home - killing four people

A Leicestershire Police statement read: 'Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, East Midlands Ambulance Service and Leicestershire Police responded to reports of an explosion and fire at a building in Hinckley Road at about 7pm.

'Emergency services remain at the scene this morning, searching the collapsed property and conducting enquiries in the area.

'At this stage, there are four confirmed fatalities and four people remain in hospital, one with serious injuries.

'Hinckley Road, from its junction with Bolton Road to its junction with Woodville Road, is closed in both directions and motorists are advised to avoid the area and listen to local traffic reports for up-to-date information on road closures.'

The first emergency services on the scene were met with devastation as flames took hold of the wrecked grocery shop

Emergency services combing the rubble and six people were taken to hospital. The rescue operation continued all night

Firefighters remained at the scene in bitter temperatures into the early hours as the wreckage continued to smolder

Photos (left) show the destruction caused by the explosion with the convenience store and the flat above it both reduced to rubble. Right, how the store looked before the explosion

Smoke continued to rise from the destroyed shop hours after the explosion as emergency workers began to probe the cause

Today, a message on Zabka Leicester's Facebook page said: 'Hello. 'Due to the terrible events that took place yesterday, a moment after 7 PM, I would like to inform you that none of the polish girls who were in zabce (sic) were injured during the explosion and fire, resulting in collapse of the entire building on our shop below.

'In the evening, there was a boss on shift, who fortunately was slightly injured and is in the hospital.

'Dear customers, thank you for this time of cooperation and for the trust we have made of our newly opened store. 'Thank you for being with us.'

Witnesses described the scene of devastation that greeted them after the blast echoed through the heavily populated area.

Savannah George, 17, was working next door at TJ's Takeaway with her boss when she heard the 'massive explosion'.

She told Mirror Online: 'I just saw a load of rubble coming down. The ceiling in the shop next to me collapsed. If I was 50cm to the left, the rubble would have fallen on me.

'The takeaway boxes flew off the wall from the force and the ceiling in our store partially collapsed.'

The teenager said it was her first week on the job. She said: 'I just saw everything flying at me.'

BBC journalist John Alexander, who lives 80 yards away, said: 'I thought my house was going to fall down on top of me and all my neighbours have said the same thing. I saw one guy get pulled out and he'll be very lucky if he wasn't killed.'

Another local tweeted: 'The Polish shop next to the bus stop has blown up. Avoid the area. Roads closed and lots of sirens in attendance. Smoke everywhere.'

It is understood the shop had been a Polish delicatessen in recent years, before briefly becoming part of the Londis chain and then in recent months reopening under new ownership.

The shop was believed to have been open at the time and at least two workers were inside.

Farrah Alli Hameed, 30, said: 'My friend Aram opened the shop only a month ago, he and another owner.

The cause of the explosion is unclear at the present time but emergency services are still at the scene and treating it as a major incident

The entire building completely collapsed in the blast, with the wreckage and debris seen strewn around nearby roads

'I know he was away but there was two girls who worked there and I'm worried one may be in the rubble.

'One was part time and one full time - it's such a tragedy, I came here hoping to help but because of the cordon I can't do much.

'I'm not sure if it was a gas explosion, maybe something to do with the electric as they had a lot of spirits in there.

'It must have been about 7pm and everything in the house shook. As we looked outside the window to see what had happened there were police everywhere. I know that shop and I've been told it just went in the blink of an eye.'

Tracey Bradshaw, 56, said she saw as many as five people desperately trying to move rubble from the site of the explosion, while others were 'running and screaming' away from the scene.

Hours after the blast was first reported, emergency service workers could be seen putting out fires and shifting through the rubble

Members of the emergency services can be seen as they work to clear away the rubble at the site of the explosion which destroyed a convenience store

Ms Bradshaw told MailOnline: 'When I arrived at the scene there were people trying to move bricks so I assume there must have been people inside. The street and road was absolutely covered with bricks and rubble. Cars might even have been hit from the explosion as well.

'It shook the whole house. We were there in a couple of minutes, but we can't see anything now as the shop is on the other. A girl was being helped across the road by another person.'

She added that the building was not initially on fire following the explosion, but caught alight around ten minutes after the bang, which is when people moving the debris from the site were forced to move back.

Mother Cat Pattinson told Sky News that her entire house shook after the explosion and she was left fearing for her two children.

'It definitely felt like an explosion had taken place,' she said. 'The building doesn't seem to be there anymore it was a store with a flat on top of it. It looks like the whole thing has gone.

'The store itself is open till 9pm on a Sunday so I don't think it's going to be good news.'

Tracey Bradshaw told the MailOnline that the emergency services were quick to respond to the explosion and arrived within minutes

A Leicester Fire and Rescue spokesman said it was a 'pancake collapse' with floors of the building cascading down on top of each other.

All six casualties have been taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary, the ambulance service said in a tweet.

Two of the injured people were in a critical condition while the other four were walking wounded.

A hazardous area response team and ambulance crews remained at the scene early today, the local NHS trust said. At 4.45am, police tweeted that they were 'still at the scene as the search and rescue operation continues through the night and into the morning'.

Debris from the explosion was strewn across both carriageways on Hinckley Road, with a bus stop immediately outside the devastated shop left a mangled wreck.

Eye-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.'

Beverley Kirk, who lives on a street adjacent to where the explosion took place, told the Mail Online that the whole house shook when the explosion took place

Dozens of emergency workers, including six fire engines, had rushed to the scene. Police and fire fighters remained at the scene into the early hours as smoke and steam continued to rise from the rubble.

In the immediate aftermath, Leicestershire Police tweeted: There has been a major incident on Hinckley Road, Leicester. All emergency services are currently dealing with this. Carlisle Street and part of Hinckley Road have been closed Please avoid the area.'

A person living nearby told the MailOnline: 'There were a loud bang and houses began to shake, there were tons of smoke and fire'

Shocked locals took to social media to share their shock at the explosion, with a number of images shared on Twitter and Facebook

And in the early hours they added: 'The cause of the explosion will be the subject of a joint investigation by the police and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service.

'We would ask that the media and public do not speculate about the circumstances surrounding the incident but at this stage there is no indication this is terrorist related.'

A spokesman for Cadent, the company that operates Britain's gas network, said: 'Our engineers have been called to assist the emergency services dealing with the incident in Hinckley Road, Leicester. The cause is unknown and our priority is to assist the emergency services in making sure everyone is safe.'

Liz Kendall, MP for Leicester West, took to Twitter to express her thoughts and prayers to the people injured in the explosion, and a tweet from Leicestershire police confirmed the explosion

This photo shows a massive explosion in Leicester, with police warning that there has been a major incident on Hickley Road, after a convenience store blew up