Aerial footage shows extent of damage after explosion in Leicester

A young boy is feared to be among the five people killed in the Leicester shop explosion.



A major search and rescue operation continued today after a huge explosion demolished Zabka Leicester grocery store and the two-storey flat above it. The blast at 7.20pm last night sparked a huge blaze, with flames shooting up to 50ft into the air.



This morning it emerged that four people, who had been taken to hospital, had died. And firefighters this afternoon pulled the body a fifth victim from the rubble. Five others were taken to hospital with injuries, with one person in critical condition.



The city's mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby, said he was a regular visitor to the shop and added: 'What is terribly sad is that among the dead is a young lad.'



Aerial views of the scene today showed the scale of devastation caused by the explosion, in what has been described as a 'pancake collapse'. Police and fire chiefs revealed they are still searching for 'missing' people, who remain unaccounted for, and may still be trapped in the building among the wreckage.



Leicestershire Police, who had earlier declared a 'major incident', said nothing 'at this stage' linked it to terrorism.



Immediately after the expolosion, passers-by dug through the burning wreckage of the store with their bare hands as emergency services raced to the scene.



The uncle of one of the survivors said his relative was watching TV before bricks starting falling on top of him.