Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption BBC journalist John Alexander: "Debris and rubble has blown across four lanes of traffic."

Six people have been taken to hospital after an explosion destroyed a shop in Leicester.

Police declared a "major incident" after reports of a blast in Hinckley Road just after 19:00 GMT on Sunday.

A police spokesman said: "At this stage there is no indication this is terrorist related."

Two of the six in hospital are in critical condition and the others are "walking wounded", said the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.

Carlisle Street and part of Hinckley Road have been closed and people are being asked to avoid the area. Electricity has been cut off for a number of properties.

Emergency services remain at the scene and Leicestershire Police said the "search and rescue operation" would continue throughout Monday.

Image copyright Matthew Cane / Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Image caption Crews are searching through debris strewn across Hinckley Road

Angel Namaala lives opposite the shop and told the BBC she heard "this big thud, like an earthquake".

She said: "The building had gone down and people were trying to help where they could by taking the bricks off. But the fire was getting bigger and bigger so people were told to leave the scene."

She said she and others helped a boy, believed to be aged about 15, who was hurt in the blast.

"He was in there when it happened. I think he was in the flat above the shop. We were keeping him warm and assuring him he'd be OK and the ambulance would be there," she added.

"Someone was with him already bringing him to the road so I stopped and gave him my coat. And other neighbours gave him blankets to cover himself."

Image caption Police said neighbouring buildings in Hinckley Road were damaged as a result of the blast

Six fire engines were sent to the scene and a fire service spokeswoman said the property was a two-floor building with a loft conversion that had suffered a "pancake collapse".

Leicestershire Police said: "The cause of the explosion will be the subject of a joint investigation by the police and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service."

All of the casualties have been taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary and people have been asked not to attend A&E unless "absolutely necessary".

Witnesses said the shop was formerly a Londis but recently became a Polish supermarket.

At the scene, BBC reporter Caroline Lowbridge

Looking down Hinckley Road, past the cordon, there's a smoking gap where the shop once stood.

It exploded with such force that glass and debris were scattered across all four lanes of the dual carriageway.

It's a few hours since the blast, but the air is still thick with smoke.

Earlier, dozens of onlookers gathered - many with scarves over their mouths, or jumpers pulled up, to avoid breathing in fumes.

Witnesses said the destroyed shop had flats above it, and at least one of those injured is thought to have been a resident.

BBC journalist John Alexander said the emergency services had cordoned off about 60 houses in the area.

"I live about 80 yards away from where it happened," he said. "I felt a tremor, what felt like an earthquake shock and I heard a very low boom that sounded like a very, very fast release of pressure.

"I thought my house was going to fall down on top of me and all my neighbours have said the same thing."

Image copyright Matthew Cane / Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Image caption The fire service said its teams are working in "tough conditions"

Harish Pattni was in a pizza shop six doors down when the explosion happened.

He said: "I've never experienced anything like this. It sounded like those big, loud boom speakers that people have in their cars, real vibration. The bass sound was so loud that it shattered the car windows.

"The flames started more or less upstairs so I thought it must be something to do with upstairs, the flats.

"My immediate worry was when I saw the floorboards, all the wood on the floor level, I thought there must be people in the shop trapped."

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Footage from a BBC journalist shows the immediate aftermath of the "blast" in Leicester.

East Midlands Ambulance Service said that crews from the West Midlands and Yorkshire had responded to other 999 calls near the border while it dealt with the incident in Leicester.

Image copyright PA / Aaron Chown Image caption Emergency services say a "search and rescue" operation is under way

Did you witness what appears to be a big explosion in the Hinckley Road area of Leicester? You must stay safe when you send any pictures to: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay</s>19:19 |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.</s>Six people are in hospital, four in a critical condition, after a massive blast ripped through a shop and flat in Hinckley Road, Western Park, Leicester, at about 7pm tonight.

The building, thought to be the Western Park Store, appears to have been reduced to a pile of rubble by the blast, which led to a massive fire.

The cause is under investigation.

The Mercury is covering the story live.

There has been some speculation on social media and in some national media outlets that the incident might be terror related.

Leicestershire Police has said there is nothing to indicate that that is the case.

A spokesperson said in a statement: “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.”

The shop is between Morgans bar and TJs takeaway.

People living near the scene, which is close to the junction with Westcotes Drive, reported hearing a huge boom.

A woman who lives in Westcotes Drive said: "There was an almighty boom which shook the windows. I said, 'What the hell was that?'.

"I wondered if a wardrobe had fallen over upstairs. I went to investigate and could see through the back window masses of smoke pouring from a building in Hinckley Road. Within a couple of minutes, the whole site was engulfed in fire. Flames were well above the roofline of the neighbouring buildings.

"You could hear sirens almost straight away."

The explosion threw debris across both carriageways of Hinckley Road, a very busy major route into the city.

A passer-by said: “The flames were absolutely huge. I’ll be amazed if someone hasn’t been killed or seriously injured.”

Eyewitness Ady Wells told the Mercury how he and other people rushed to the scene to help.

He described helping to pull rubble off a man who was lying in Hinckley Road, yards from the scene of the blast.

Ady, from Humberstone, said he and other people ran to try to help moments after the explosion.

“I was driving down the road after being out for a meal with my girlfriend when there was an almighty blast right in front of us.

“I just could not believe what had happened. It took about two seconds to process what I had seen."

Cordons were put in place in nearby streets immediately by Leicestershire Police, which has described the incident as "major". Hinckley Road has been shut in both directions, and police have urged people to avoid the area.

A spokesperson for the force said: “Emergency services are dealing with a building fire in Leicester following a report of an explosion.

“The report was made just after 7pm this evening (Sunday 25 February) and a number of neighbouring buildings in Hinckley Road were also damaged as a result.

“Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service are dealing with the incident and Hinckley Road between Mostyn Street and Carlisle Street has been closed off.

“Businesses and homes in the immediate vicinity have been evacuated and those affected have been taken to Hinckley Road police station as a temporary measure."

Area Traffic Control said the road closures were likely to be in place for a "significant" period of time.

Police said they had been called to a report of a "building collapse".

A spokeswoman for Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said the affected property was a two-floor building with a loft conversion that had suffered a “pancake collapse”.

A passer-by who was just a few seconds’ walk from the scene when the blast happened said: “It’s absolute devastation. I’ve never seen anything like it in my entire life.

“There was a huge bang, then loads of smoke, and then in just a minute or two the whole site was engulfed in flames and you could hear sirens.

“There’s debris everywhere. I’m in shock. It’s horrific. I can't bear to think of what would have happened to anyone in the building."

Twitter user applepearmamabear posted: “The whole building is gone.

“There’s a bus stop directly outside the store. I desperately hope no one was there.”

Sixty homes have been evacuated, and power has been shut off, leaving 187 properties without electricity. It is not yet known when it will be switched back on.

A spokesperson for Western Power told the Mercury: “We will need to have the all clear from the other emergency services on site before we can reinstate the power. We apologise for this inconvenience.”

A spokesman for gas network operator Cadent 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.”</s>At least four people have died because of an explosion in Leicester, England.</s>The explosion, which is believed to have happened at roughly 7:03pm on Sunday morning, reverberated around the local area.

Fire engines, police and ambulance crews rushed to the scene on Hinckley Road, where they worked through the night as part of a “search and rescue” operation on the property.

Leicestershire Police said: “The cause of the explosion will be the subject of a joint investigation by the police and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service.

“Electricity supply has been cut off for a number of properties in the Hinckley Road area while emergency services deal with the incident.”</s>Four people died after an explosion and fire in central England completely destroyed a building.

Police in Leicester said that four others were hospitalized after a "major incident" in the city, which is about 110 miles north of London, after 7 p.m. local time.

The building, located on Hinckley Road, had a convenience store on the ground floor and an apartment above. Superintendent Shane O’Neill said in a statement that he was not sure if all victims had been found.

No cause was given for the explosion, which witnesses described as creating a "pancake collapse."

Police look at Meghan Markle anthrax letter as racist hate crime

"I’ve never seen anything like this in my life," resident Tom Mellors, 33, told the Leicester Mercury.

"At first I thought it must be a bad crash, but as I got closer and could see the flames beginning to come out of the building, it became obvious what it was."

Video on social media showed plumes of smoke and flames coming out of the collapsed building.

Police said there was no indication that the blast was terror-related.</s>A 'young lad' is among the people who have died after an explosion ripped apart a shop and flat in Hinckley Road, Leicester, last night.

Leicestershire Police has confirmed that four people are dead following the blast in Hinckley Road, which happened just after 7pm last night.

Speaking this morning, Leicester city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “It is a shop I am quite familiar with have popped in their a few times. What is terribly sad is that among the dead is a young lad.

“We will be looking to offer what support we can.

“I will be going to the scene at some point but at the moment I am monitoring the situation and letting the emergency services get on with their jobs.”

He also took the opportunity to dismiss rumours, circulating on social media, that the incident was terror related.

The mayor said: “We can say it was not terror related as some of the speculation online has suggest.

“A gas explosion seems the most plausible cause."

No information relating to the identity of the deceased has been released. However, the shop where the blast occurred, a Polish convenience store called Zabka, has confirmed that none of its staff died in the tragedy.

It is understood a family of four were living in the flat above the shop.

We've launched our very own app for Android and Apple devices which can be tailored to deliver the news and sport that you're interested in.

To download the IOS app click here .

To download the Android app click here .</s>A fresh statement has been released by Leicestershire Police after at least four people died in an explosion in Leicester last night.

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 on Sunday.

According to the force, at this stage there are four confirmed deaths while four further people remain in hospital, one with "serious" injuries.

Emergency services remain at the scene this morning, searching the collapsed property and conducting enquiries in the area, with Hinckley Road shut from its junction with Bolton Road to its junction with Woodville Road.

Drivers are advised to avoid the area.

Superintendent Shane O’Neill said: “There are a large number of resources from various agencies at the scene in Hinckley Road and they are expected to be in place throughout the day.

“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 four confirmed fatalities at this stage 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.

“Once the site is deemed to be safe a joint investigation with Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service will begin looking into the circumstances surrounding the incident, which at this stage are not being linked to terrorism.”

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, fire brigade 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.”

Anyone concerned about family members are advised to contact 101.</s>Four people have died after an explosion and fire at a building in Leicester, England, last night.

Leicestershire Police said another four people remain in hospital following the incident, one with serious injuries.

Fire crews, paramedics and police responded to reports of an explosion at the property on Hinckley Road at about 7pm.

A "search and rescue" operation is continuing at the scene of the suspected explosion and subsequent fire.

Emergency services remain at the site of the blast in Leicester this morning, after fire crews worked through the night digging through rubble and battling the blaze.

Police had declared a major incident on Sunday night, and six people were taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary.

Video taken at the scene on Hinckley Road shows flames billowing into the night sky as the fire engulfed what is believed to be a convenience store.

One clip appeared to show emergency services rushing to help someone close to flames that were visible from a distance.

The building appears to have stood next to a shop called TJ's Takeaway.

Andrew Brodie, the assistant chief fire officer for Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, tweeted that conditions were "arduous" for firefighters as they worked through a "bitterly cold night".

But he praised their "tremendous effort".

Speaking to Sky News, Kat Pattinson, who lives on the same road as the fire, told how her "whole house shook" when the blast happened.

She added: "We checked on our children first and foremost and then we went outside.

"There is just an awful lot of smoke here at the moment and the whole area is cordoned off."

She added that the shop on fire is usually open until about 9pm on a Sunday, and has a flat above it.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue said it began receiving calls from concerned members of the public at 7.03pm.

A spokeswoman said six fire engines had been requested and that the affected property was a two-floor building with a loft conversion that had suffered a "pancake collapse".

Hinckley Road was closed between the junction with Woodville Road and Westcotes Drive, while Carlisle Street was also shut.

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."

BBC journalist John Alexander said: "I live about 80 yards away from where it happened.

"I felt a tremor, what felt like an earthquake shock and I heard a very low boom that sounded like a very, very fast release of pressure.

"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."

Police say an investigation will take place to establish the cause of the fire, but say there is currently no indication that it is terrorist-related.</s>Four people have died in an explosion at a shop in Leicester.

Aerial footage shows the extent of the explosion in Hinckley Road.
An explosion destroys a store and a house, causing at least five deaths on Hinckley Road in Leicester, England. The cause of the explosion and subsequent fire is unknown.