What caused the Leicester gas explosion on Hinckley Road, how many people were killed or injured and who’s been arrested?
Witnesses described blast at row of shops in Leicester on Sunday night as 'like an earthquake'
A MASSIVE explosion at a shop in Leicester on 25 February was felt for miles around.
Hellish photos showed a huge blaze erupting from a pile of rubble on Hinckley Road. Here's what we know about the tragedy.
What caused the Leicester explosion?
The explosion ripped through the property at around 7pm on Sunday 25 February.
A suspected catastrophic gas leak caused the massive blast at the Zakba Polish shop on Hinckley Road — although this has not been confirmed.
Firefighters battled for nearly an hour to bring the blaze under control - finally extinguishing it shortly after 8pm.
Meanwhile desperate emergency services and brave locals piled through the rubble to search for injured people.
It is believed the shop, which had been a Londis outlet until a few weeks ago, was open at the time and at least two workers were inside.
The store on Hinckley Road was part of a row of shops and was next door to TJ's Takeaways and Morgan's Bar pub.
A Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman described the incident as a "pancake collapse".
How many people died and how many were injured in the tragedy?
Police confirmed the following morning that five people died and four were injured in the explosion.
A mother and her two sons were feared to be among those killed.
Care worker Mary Ragoobeer, 46, and boys Shane, 18, and Sean, 16, were declared missing.
Shane’s girlfriend, Leah Reek, 18, and a 22-year-old shopworker known only as Victoria, were also said to be unaccounted for.
Mary’s husband, Jose, also a care worker, was thought to have been out at the time. Their other son, Scotty, 15, was reportedly pulled from the rubble by a passer-by.
The boys’ uncle, Krishna Rungen, 69, said Scotty was in hospital with his father and they were desperate for news.
He added: “We are devastated. It is an awful situation. We are a very close family.”
Police did not officially name the victims as formal identification had yet to take place.
Who's been arrested over the Leicester explosion?
Cops charged three men over the blast in Leicester that left five dead and several injured.
Shopkeeper Aram Kurd, 33, along with Arkan Ali, 37, and Hawkar Hassan, 32, have been charged with five counts of manslaughter and arson with intent to endanger life.
Leicestershire Police refused to comment on reports that the explosion may have been caused by an illegal alcohol distillery.
All of three suspects were arrested on February 28 after a huge police operation.