Three men accused of using petrol to start Leicester shop explosion which killed five people
Petrol was used to start the massive fireball which destroyed a shop in Leicester and the two-storey flat above which left five people dead
THREE men caused an explosion that killed five people by using petrol, it was alleged yesterday.
Shopkeeper Aram Kurd, 33, Arkan Ali, 37, and Hawkar Hassan, 32, appeared before magistrates to face manslaughter and arson charges.
Prosecutor Zoe Lee said the blast destroyed Kurd’s Zabka convenience store and a two-storey flat above it in Leicester.
She added: “It has been established the explosion was caused by petrol.”
Four of the five bodies found in the rubble have been identified.
Shane Ragoobeer, 18, and his brother Sean, 17, lived in the flat and died with Shane’s girlfriend, Leah Beth Reek, 18. The boys’ mother, Mary, 46, is also thought to have died.
The fifth victim was Ali’s girlfriend, shopworker Viktorija Ljevleva, 22, from Oldham.
The three accused men will appear at Leicester crown court next month.
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