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
Chris Fawcett
BBC News
Leicester City Mayor Peter Soulsby has said, external he's "shocked" by the tragic incident and is thinking of the many people involved.
He added: "The council is doing everything possible to support those directly affected."
He said that officers from relevant departments are "working closely" with the police and fire services as efforts continue.
Chris Fawcett
BBC News
Throughout the incident, kind-hearted neighbours have been helping emergency services with their search and rescue effort.
Tony Hartley, who lives about 50 yards from the blast site, told the Press Association: "Me and a friend lifted up a steel girder with about five other blokes and removed a man from underneath it."
Image source, PAHe continued: "We then turned around, saw rubble and heard a little boy crying...there was me and another bloke sifting through it and we managed to pull the little boy out."
Mr Hartley said the boy, thought to be between 10 and 13-years-old, was able to walk after being freed from the wreckage.
Samantha Fisher
BBC News Online
An eyewitness described the moment the explosion happened in Hinckley Road.
The 79-year-old, who did not want to be named, said they thought the windows “had gone through” at their house when they heard a “great bang”.
"I could not see the fire at first, the roof had closed in on top.
“Then the fire really took hold and 10 minutes later the flames were at the height of the roofs of the other buildings.
“A 15-year-old lad was outside my house hurt. Someone brought him a duvet to keep him warm while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.
"Someone also brought him a stool from one of the houses and a chap was bandaging his head.
"I think he had a cut above his eyes and his back was hurt.
“I think he was waiting for a bus outside the shop or he had just been to the shop.”
Amy Harris
Reporter, BBC East Midlands Today
Emergency services remain in Hinckley Road as rescue operations continue.
Until recently the debris was spread across all four lanes of the road.
Firefighters are rotating on the rescue operation because of the cold and snow and the dangers associated with the search.
Samantha Fisher
BBC News Online
The Rapid Relief Team says it has been providing support to the emergency services at the explosion site on Leicester's Hinckley Road since yesterday night.
Oliver Lloyd from the team said about 150 meals were served.
He said: "We have been providing hot drinks and snacks to the emergency services that are on site.
"We are trying to do everything we can to help them with a very difficult job and we offer our condolences to all those affected by this incident."
The local community has also provided food and drinks to the emergency workers.
Chris Fawcett
BBC News
The flag is at half-mast this morning...
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BBC News
Here's what we know so far about the Leicester shop explosion.
Maryam Qaiser
BBC News
The search for survivors continues in Hinckley Road.
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Chris Fawcett
BBC News
The Bishop of Leicester said that churches across the city will open their doors to those affected by the explosion in Hinckley Road.
The Right Reverend Martyn Snow said: "I share the sense of shock being felt around the city, our thoughts and prayers go out to those injured and killed."
Image source, PA"Leicester isn't a huge city, so those affected will be known and felt throughout...places of worship will be open today for anyone, whether it’s sitting in silence, to pray or to talk to someone about it."
He also added his thanks to the emergency services who he said responded "so superbly" throughout.
Samantha Fisher
At the scene
The Hinckley Road, which is normally busy with traffic is eerily quiet this morning with a large section of the road still cordoned off near its junction with Westcotes Drive.
Members of the public are unable to see the explosion scene from the cordon due to emergency vehicles and a tarpaulin.
A rapid relief team has set up a gazebo and is offering drinks and food to emergency service workers.
People throughout the community are helping as a staff member from the local Tesco store has just delivered a basket of food to help the team.
More than six fire vehicles and more than three police cars are here and the atmosphere is solemn, with members of the public pausing to look as they pass.
Helen McCarthy
At the scene
There's a lot of fencing coming onto the site and it looks like they're dividing the road and side streets around it.
I would hazard a guess to say it's for when they open the road later on.
Image source, PAThe fire is still smouldering with a thick, black smoke that has slowed substantially as the morning has gone on.
Looking around, everyone is working extremely hard in bitterly cold conditions.
There have been people here for over 12 hours, but they will not give up until they make sure there is no one left in the rubble.
Maryam Qaiser
BBC News
This aerial footage shows the extent of the explosion in Hinckley Road, which has killed four people.
Fire crews are still searching for survivors who might be trapped.
Chris Fawcett
BBC News
Fire crews working in freezing temperatures are still hopeful they will find survivors in the remains of the building.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast this morning, group manager Matt Crane from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said: "I realise when you look at pictures of the scene, it might be unlikely to think there could be people in there... but there could be voids and areas that people might still be alive."
He confirmed that it's still a search and rescue effort at this moment and that the fire service are committed to searching the area.
"Our rescue teams are working methodically through the building to see if anyone could still be alive... it is a severe collapse and fire, but a scene like this is something that fire and rescue services are trained to deal with."
He couldn't be drawn on the cause of the explosion and resulting fire, but said there is "a number of scenarios" which will be considered with the police to get an answer.
Helen McCarthy
BBC Radio Leicester Reporter
This is the scene in Hinckley Road this morning.
The diggers have arrived to clear away the rubble from the explosion.
Chris Fawcett
BBC News
Leicester MP Liz Kendall said she is 'proud' of the way the community responded to the explosion in Hinckley Road last night,
The Labour representative for Leicester West said: "My heart goes out to the family and friends of those who have died and been injured... It's a terrible incident but I am so proud of how everyone has been pulling together."
Image source, Getty Images"It's a lovely part of the city... I was speaking to the police and they've said how the community has pulled together to help one another and the emergency services," she added.
She said there are "concerns for those unaccounted for" and that it was a "huge shock" to think something like this could happen, but everyone will be focused on getting to the bottom of the incident.
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
Fire crews, including members of the Technical Rescue Unit, are still very busy at the scene of the shop explosion in Hinckley Road.
They've not ruled out the possibility more people may be trapped in the rubble - and there are also concerns the building could collapse further.
Image source, PAMaryam Qaiser
BBC News
Praise for the emergency services from East Midlands Labour MEP Rory Palmer...
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Chris Fawcett
BBC News
A lovely gesture from a local pub last night...
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Gavin Bevis
BBC News
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has sent his condolences to the families of those killed and injured in the Hinckley Road blast.
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Gavin Bevis
BBC News
This Google Street View image, captured in July, shows how the shop looked before the explosion.
The convenience store, which had a two-storey flat above it, has had a change of ownership since then.
The fire service has said neighbouring properties may also have suffered damage in the blast.
Image source, Google