Three victims of an explosion which destroyed a shop and a two-bedroom flat have been named as a mother and two sons by relatives.
Mary Ragoobar and her three children Scotty, Shane and Sean were in their home above Zabka grocery store in Leicester last night when a blast went off just after 7.30pm, sparking a huge blaze which blew flames 50ft into the air.
Her devastated brother Krishna Rungen, 69, described how youngest son Scotty, 15, was pulled from the rubble by a passerby but said the other three were feared dead.
Leicester Police confirmed five bodies had been recovered after the fire was finally extinguished this afternoon.
The fourth victim feared dead has been named locally as Victoria, a shop worker who was on duty when the explosion erupted on Sunday night.
Pictured:Krishna Rungen said his brother-in-law lived at the address with his wife Mary (centre) and her three sons
Speaking earlier today, store manager Aram Kurd, 33, said he had gone to the storeroom at the back of Zabka Leicester to get some refreshments for him and Victoria when he heard a ‘loud bang’.
Mr Kurd has described how he found himself thrown metres away and was trapped in rubble. After managing to haul himself free he shouted out for his colleague, who had only started working at the shop on Friday.
Mr Rungen said Mary and her husband, who both worked as cleaners, had moved to the UK with their sons 15 years ago and had furnished their apartment with leather sofas.
He said: ‘It’s horrible sitting here and waiting, but after 17 hours we have to fear the worst. I’m just waiting for the police to tell me my sister is no longer alive.
‘She and her husband worked hard to make a nice life for themselves and their sons here in the UK. They came over about 15 years ago and had lived in that flat for four years.
‘They had decorated it nicely. I gave them some nice leather sofas to help furnish it.
An aerial view of the scene of the explosion in Leicester, where five people died and a three-storey building was demolished
‘Scotty has said the family were watching television when the next thing he knew, everything went black and their were bricks flying around him. He couldn’t hear anything.
‘He said he was lying down trapped and screaming for help when somebody reached in through the rubble and grabbed him.
‘They managed to dig him out and get him to hospital, but he doesn’t remember much more. The poor boy is still shocked.
‘It’s going to have a huge effect on the family and the community. They used to go to church a lot.
‘We’re still praying somehow they are safe.’
‘The youngest one is 15. he is in hospital but not badly injured though, the other two are a lot older.
‘My brother-in-law’s wife, who is my sister, and the older two boys are still missing.
‘We’ve been waiting since seven o’clock last night and they don’t even know where the bodies are or whether they are injured or not.
‘We are devastated, we are supposed to be going on holiday in April.
‘We seem to be getting more information via the media than the police, it’s not good enough.
‘You hear on the radio that’s there been about five deaths. We don’t know whether they are among them, or they are injured, we just don’t know.
‘As I understand the 15-year-old was pulled out by a passerby and he’s was alright, he’s got a few cuts but he’s ok.
‘He is in a daze, he said his mum and his brothers were watching TV and then the next thing he knows bricks were falling over him, and then it was pitch black.
‘He was crying for help and somebody just pulled him out of the rubble and wrapped him in a blanket and took him to the hospital.
‘He still doesn’t know his family are missing, he thinks they might be injured somewhere but he doesn’t know where they are, neither does the father, I don’t know what to tell then when I go back now.’
Leicestershire Police confirmed a fifth body has been found inside the remains of the building.
Five others were taken to hospital, one of whom remains in a critical condition.
Operation: Gas specialists and firefighters examining the shop on Monday afternoon just hours after a blast tore through the Leicester store and a two-bedroom flat above
Superintendent Shane O’Neill said: ‘There are now five confirmed fatalities 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.
‘Although the cause of the explosion is not yet known, there is no evidence that this is linked to terrorism.’
The owner of a shop has revealed his miracle escape from the huge explosion which claimed the lives of five people including a young boy.
Rescue work at the scene has been temporarily suspended due to the structural integrity of a neighbouring building, and the search and rescue work will resume shortly.
Matt Cane, Group Manager from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, said: ‘Crews have worked through the night, alongside Police, East Midlands Ambulance Service and other partner agencies, tackling the fire and searching the scene in order to locate any further survivors or casualties.
‘There are still pockets of fire in the basement area of the building. We have a significant number of specialist search and rescue teams who are supported by two search dogs, and this level of resourcing is likely to be in place throughout the day.
‘It may be some days yet before we will be able to establish the probable cause of the explosion.’
Rest in peace: A single bunch of flowers has been left at the scene on Hinckley Road after it emerged five are feared dead from the explosion
Speaking to ITV Central, he said: ‘I was holding her phone at the time of the explosion as we had been watching YouTube videos.
‘I don’t know, I really hope that she’s alive. I was shouting Victoria! Victoria! Victoria!
‘I don’t know how it happened.
‘It was a big noise. I found myself up and then to the floor, for two or three minutes I couldn’t feel anything, I was looking up, my eyes were open.
‘I managed to pull himself from the rubble and climbed into the neighbouring garden.’
Private ambulances and undertakers leaving the destroyed property on Monday evening after an intensive search of the site
He said he was unsure about what had happened to the residents of the flat above, but described them as ‘good people’.
He added: ‘I think they have two or three kids. There was an old man and old lady.
‘Sometimes they would come into my shop.
‘I don’t know what happened to them as well. They are good people. I have not heard about them.
‘I feel sorry for those people who lost their lives. I don’t know if they are kids or young. I don’t know who’s dead.
‘Forget about the money, the most important [thing] is life.’
This morning it emerged that four people, who had been taken to hospital, had died. And firefighters this afternoon pulled the body of 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 explosion, 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.
The explosion, which happened on Hinckley Road, Leicester, left a total of eight people in hospital – five of which have now been confirmed dead. Pictured is the scene this morning
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
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
Krishna Rungen, 69, said his brother-in-law and 15-year-old son were pulled out of the rubble and are in hospital. Mr Rungen’s sister and her two older sons are still missing.
Speaking at the scene, he refused to name any of his relatives who were inside the building until he knows if they are among the dead.
He said: ‘My brother-in-law, his wife and three sons were in the flat when it exploded.
‘The youngest one is 15. he is in hospital but not badly injured though, the other two are a lot older.
‘My brother-in-law’s wife, who is my sister, and the older two boys are still missing.
‘We’ve been waiting since seven o’clock last night and they don’t even know where the bodies are or whether they are injured or not. ‘We are devastated, we are supposed to be going on holiday in April.
‘As I understand the 15-year-old was pulled out by a passerby and he’s was alright, he’s got a few cuts but he’s okay.
‘He is in a daze. He said his mum and his brothers were watching TV and then the next thing he knows bricks were falling over him, and then it was pitch black.
‘He was crying for help and somebody just pulled him out of the rubble and wrapped him in a blanket and took him to the hospital.
‘He still doesn’t know his family are missing, he thinks they might be injured somewhere but he doesn’t know where they are, neither does the father, I don’t know what to tell them when I go back now.’
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.
Superintendent Shane O’Neill said: ‘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 now five confirmed fatalities 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.
‘Although the cause of the explosion is not yet known, there is no evidence that this is linked to terrorism.’
Matt Cane, Group Manager from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, said: ‘Crews have worked through the night, alongside Police, East Midlands Ambulance Service and other partner agencies, tackling the fire and searching the scene in order to locate any further survivors or casualties.
‘There are still pockets of fire in the basement area of the building. We have a significant number of specialist search and rescue teams who are supported by two search dogs, and this level of resourcing is likely to be in place throughout the day.
‘It may be some days yet before we will be able to establish the probable cause of the explosion.’
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 five people have been confirmed dead after a suspected gas blast
The rescue work at the scene of the former supermarket in Hinckley Road has been temporarily suspended due to the structural integrity of a neighbouring building, and the search and rescue work will resume shortly
The rescue work at the scene of the former supermarket in Hinckley Road has been temporarily suspended due to the structural integrity of a neighbouring building, and the search and rescue work will resume shortly.
Hinckley Road, from its junction with Bolton Road to its junction with Woodville Road, remains 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.
Power supplies to a number of homes in the immediate area were affected by the incident and by lunchtime today will be restored to all but a handful of homes.
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.’
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.
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
Photos and footage from the scene on Hinckley road show police tape blocking access to the site of the ‘massive explosion’