Five dead as explosion destroys shoppublished at 22:18 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
The death toll rises as police say it may be some days before the cause of the blast is known.
Read MoreSummary
Five people confirmed dead in building explosion
Explosion reported at about 19:00 on Sunday
Shop and flat above suffered a 'pancake collapse'
Five people remain in hospital with one in a critical condition
Cause of the blast is unknown but it is not thought to be terrorism related
Emergency services continue to search for survivors
Updates on Monday 26 February 2018
Five dead as explosion destroys shoppublished at 22:18 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:22 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Calum McKenzie
BBC NewsOur live coverage of the aftermath of Sunday's explosion at a shop in Leicester is now over.
East Midlands Live returns from 08:00 tomorrow morning.
Recap: Blast at shop kills five peoplepublished at 18:21 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Calum McKenzie
BBC NewsHere's a quick recap of what has happened over the last 24 hours:
- Five people have died following an explosion at a shop on Hinckley Road in Leicester.
- Five other people remain in hospital, one person is in a critical condition.
- Police said there may be other people who are unaccounted for.
- It may be some days before the cause of the blast is known, emergency services say.
- A public meeting is being held on Monday evening for local residents and businesses.
Blast shop manager 'covered in rubble'published at 18:20 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
BBC NewsAram Kurd, who runs the shop destroyed in an explosion in Leicester, says he heard a bang and then remembers being buried in rubble before escaping.
People 'running down the road' after blastpublished at 18:12 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Samantha Fisher
BBC News OnlineA resident who lives near the shop which was destroyed in the blast last night said people were “running down the road” after the explosion.
The resident, who did not want to be named, said: "There was debris all over the road.
"I used to work in vehicle recovery, so I directed traffic to make sure everyone was going in the right direction.
“I heard that one of my neighbours found someone in the debris and dragged them out.
“The response of the community on the ground initially was brilliant.”
Image source, Getty ImagesBuilding's structure 'must be safe' for investigationspublished at 17:54 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Maryam Qaiser
BBC NewsThe buildings next to the blast site will be "made safe" before specialist teams can begin their investigation into the cause.
Zabka was reduced to rubble in the explosion and fire which has killed five people and left five injured with one in a critical condition.
Teams are still searching the site for survivors but Leicestershire Police said an investigation into the cause will not begin until the site is secure.
Supt Shane O'Neill said: "It is a search and rescue operation, which means we will do everything we can safely and securely to make that building able to be searched to try and recover anyone else or anyone who is deceased. We owe that to the family.
Image source, Getty Images"While this is a search and rescue operation, our specialist investigators will be doing work in the background.
"But from our point of view they will be allowed access to the building once it has been made fully safe and searched and they will then conduct their appropriate inquiries to find out what happened.
"In the end, the community want to know what happened, they were here last night helping and they want to know what caused it to make sure there will not be a similar incident."
MP hails emergency servicespublished at 17:51 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Calum McKenzie
BBC NewsLeicester West MP Liz Kendall tweets...
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End of twitter postSchool to host public meeting over explosionpublished at 17:46 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Calum McKenzie
BBC NewsA public meeting for local residents and businesses is being held later following last night's explosion.
Image source, GoogleThe meeting will be at Dovelands School on Hinckley Road and will start at 19:15.
Matt Cane, group manager for Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "This meeting will give local people the opportunity to hear at first-hand how we are responding to last night’s incident.
"More importantly, it gives them an opportunity to discuss with us the type of support and help they need, whether that is about housing issues, the impact of road closures on businesses or any other problems and issues they have."
Image source, ReutersWell-wishers urged to take floral tributes to churchpublished at 17:19 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Calum McKenzie
BBC NewsLeicester City Council tweets...
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End of twitter postEmergency services photographing the scenepublished at 17:18 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Calum McKenzie
BBC NewsInvestigations into the cause of the explosion have continued throughout the day.
Image source, PAAmid the recovery effort, the emergency services have been taking photographs of the remains in an attempt to aid their probe.
Police said it could be some days before the cause of the blast is known.
Corbyn praises local response to 'tragedy'published at 17:05 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Calum McKenzie
BBC NewsLabour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been speaking about the relief effort and response following last night's explosion.
Image source, EPAHe said: "We send our condolences to those that have lost their lives in Leicester.
"We thank the emergency services, the police, the fire and ambulance and local residents for all they gave to the victims of that tragedy."
Search for survivors continues after blastpublished at 17:04 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Maryam Qaiser
BBC NewsRescuers searching for survivors in the remains of the Leicester shop destroyed in an explosion said there were still "pockets of fire" 20 hours after the initial blast.
Specialist rescue teams with dogs are continuing to search the rubble of the three-storey building which was destroyed.
Emergency services, who were called at about 19:00 to the Zabka store in Hinckley Road, said more people could be unaccounted for.
It is still not known what caused the explosion but police have said it is not linked to terrorism.
Image source, PAMatt Cane, from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue, said: "The conditions are significant, they are dangerous, the building is unsafe and there are still pockets of fire within the collapsed building.
"Our specialist search and rescue teams are now working and they have made access to areas of the building...we are trying to identify if there could be any areas or any voids where potentially people could have survived and be trapped."
Pub keeps rescuers supplied with teapublished at 16:24 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Quentin Rayner
East Midlands Today chief news reporterStaff from the nearby Crows Nest pub - close to the building destroyed by last night's explosion - said they were "shocked" by the aftermath of the blast.
They felt the need to step in and help provide refreshments to the emergency services.
Tammy Hill said: "I originally had a phone call asking if some cups could be borrowed. When I drove the guys down we saw how tragic it was. It was then I realised I needed to take over."
Tammy and her team provided more than 200 hot drinks through the night to everyone involved in the search and rescue effort.
She added that the events had affected many people in the area.
"There was a man who came into the pub looking for a member of his family...he couldn’t find them, it wasn't very nice."
Buildings being 'shored up' as search continuespublished at 15:57 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Chris Fawcett
BBC NewsRescuers continue to search the rubble in Hinckley Road but admitted the chances of finding someone alive becomes "less likely".
Service Group Manager Matt Cane said: "Parts of the building are being shored up as the search continues."
Image source, PAHe added that the area remains "very hazardous" and that during their search, a fifth body was found.
"At this stage our search and rescue operations carry on in the hope that there's a possibility that people are trapped within any of the voids...but obviously as time goes on, that becomes less likely."
He continued to say that emergency services are "slowly and methodically" trying to make the area safe.
Police say thanks for 'looking after them'published at 15:52 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Maryam Qaiser
BBC NewsLeicestershire Police has thanked the Rapid Relief Team for its support in providing hot meals and drinks to the emergency service.
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End of twitter postExplosion destroys Polish shoppublished at 15:29 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Maryam Qaiser
BBC NewsIt has been confirmed that the explosion in Hinckley Road destroyed the Polish store Zabka.
Five people have died and five other people remain in hospital, one in a critical condition, Leicestershire Police said.
The blast happened at about 19:00 yesterday destroying the shop which was previously a Londis.
Image source, GoogleIn a statement on its Facebook page,, external the shop said none of the usual workers were injured in the explosion "resulting in collapse of the entire building on our shop below".
It added: "There was a boss on shift, who fortunately was slightly injured and is in the hospital."
Tributes after Leicester explosionpublished at 15:07 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Home Office questions
House of Commons
Parliament
Image source, HoCHome Secretary Amber Rudd opens today's Commons questions session by paying tribute to the emergency services who attended an explosion in Leicester on Sunday.
Five people died in the explosion at a shop, while five other people remain in hospital, one in a critical condition.
Ms Rudd adds that her thoughts are with the family and friends of those killed and injured.
Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott echoes Ms Rudd's sentiments.
Search for survivors continues under snowpublished at 14:35 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
The difficult weather conditions are not stopping the continued search for survivors in the rubble of the Hinckley Road shop.
Firefighters said the site is dangerous with the added complication of freezing temperatures and the occasional flurry of snow - as can be seen in this picture.
Image source, AFPBed 'felt like it lifted' in explosionpublished at 14:25 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Chris Fawcett
BBC NewsResidents from the surrounding area have been describing what it was like when the explosion took place.
Lee Blankley, who lives in nearby Minehead Road, said his bed "shook" and "felt like it was going in the air" when the building exploded.
Image source, PAHe continued: "I had a phone call straight away from a neighbour, she was screaming and had gone in shock."
Lee then went outside to see if he could help, but says "there was already loads of people in the area helping".
Five confirmed dead in building explosionpublished at 14:14 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2018
Breaking
Sima Kotecha
Midlands Correspondent, BBC NewsPolice have now confirmed that five people have died in the explosion on Hinckley Road in Leicester.
A further five remain in hospital with one of those in a critical condition.