Leicester explosion: Mother and her two sons 'among five killed'
After more than 36 hours of work at the scene, police have concluded that there are no survivors among the wreckage.
Tuesday 27 February 2018 15:54, UK
A mother and her two sons are believed to be among the five victims of an explosion in Leicester.
Mary Rajoobeer, 46, and her two sons, Shane, 18, and Sean, 17, were named by police on Tuesday as missing following the explosion at a Polish supermarket with two flats above it on Sunday just after 7pm.
Leah Beth Reek, 18, who was Shane's girlfriend, and Viktorija Ljevleva, 22, are also missing.
Ms Ljevleva is thought to have been working in the supermarket at the time.
Leicestershire Police said search and rescue teams found five bodies in the wreckage but they were so badly injured "it may be some considerable time before the bodies can be formally identified".
Another five people were taken to hospital on Sunday night following the blast in Hinckley Road.
One of them remains in hospital with "life-threatening" injuries and police and fire crews have concluded that there are no survivors remaining among the wreckage.
Superintendent Shane O'Neill said: "We made sure by using specialist dogs and equipment to make sure there is no other sign that anyone else is still alive in the premises.
"Tragically, all we are now looking for is any further human remains. This is vital work that is being done, on behalf of the victims and their families, and it will take some time to complete."
Fire crews used specialist listening equipment, cameras and motion sensors to search the rubble.
Shocking footage of the explosion was captured on CCTV, showing debris being blasted across the road to the opposite pavement.
Witness Ady Wells, 23, was driving home with his girlfriend Ruby-May Dexter when the explosion occurred.
"I lost control of the wheel because the explosion was so strong, but I was able to swerve left and park up on the side road," he said.
"There was a dense black smoke everywhere for about two or three minutes. It's only after that lifted that the fire actually started. I ran over and picked up a plank from the rubble and saw a man lying there beneath it. It was very traumatic."
Tom Hartley, who lives around 50 yards from the blast site, said he was standing in his kitchen when he heard a "loud bang" and ran outside to see what had happened.
"Me and a friend lifted up a steel girder with about five other blokes and removed a bloke from underneath it," he said.
"We then turned round, saw rubble and heard a little boy crying. There was me and another bloke sifting through the rubble and we managed to pull the boy out."
The boy, thought to be aged between 10 and 13, was able to walk after being freed.
The building was still on fire on Monday morning.
Police said the five supposed victims' relatives have been informed and "are being supported by specially-trained officers at this desperate time," a police statement said.
Teams remain at the scene as part of the investigation into why the building exploded then set on fire.
Their work is being hindered by adverse weather conditions as a Siberian cold front spreads across the UK, with heavy snow forecast for later on Tuesday.
The A47 will remain closed in both directions as they carry out the investigation.
Search teams have faced continuous difficulties at the site, having to suspend work periodically due to concerns over the structural integrity of neighbouring buildings.