Three charged over Leicester shop blast that left five dead Published duration 3 March 2018

image copyright Reuters image caption The explosion destroyed a Polish supermarket and the flat above it

Three men have been charged with manslaughter and arson over an explosion in Leicester that left five people dead, say police.

Three members of the same family died when the shop and flat were destroyed last Sunday.

Five people were also taken to hospital after the blast, one of whom suffered critical injuries.

Aram Kurd, of Leicester, Hawkar Hassan, of Coventry, and Arkan Ali, of Oldham, are due in court on Monday.

Two other men, both from East Anglia and who were arrested on Friday, remain in custody and are continuing to be questioned by detectives.

The blast happened at a Polish supermarket in the city's Hinckley Road just after 19:00 GMT.

Mary Ragoobar, 46, and sons Shane, 18, and Sean, 17, lived in the flat above the shop.

image copyright Facebook image caption Mary Ragoobar and sons Sean (left) and Shane (right) were among the five victims

Sean and Shane Ragoobeer, along with Shane's girlfriend Leah Beth Reek, 18, and Viktorija Ijevleva, 22, who was working in the shop at the time, were officially named on Friday as among the dead.

The fifth body is still to be formally identified but is believed to be Ms Ragoobar.

Mr Kurd, 33, of Hillary Place, Mr Hassan, 32, of Eld Road, and Mr Ali, 37, of Drake Close, will be held in police custody over the weekend before appearing before Leicester magistrates on Monday, police said.