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| ‘Major incident’: At least 4 injured after blast destroys store & home in Leicester, UK | ‘Major incident’: At least 4 injured after blast destroys store & home in Leicester, UK |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Four people have been hospitalized after a large blast destroyed a building in the UK city of Leicester. Police are advising people to avoid the scene of the “major incident.” | Four people have been hospitalized after a large blast destroyed a building in the UK city of Leicester. Police are advising people to avoid the scene of the “major incident.” |
| "All emergency services are currently dealing with this," the police force said in a statement, "Please avoid the area." | "All emergency services are currently dealing with this," the police force said in a statement, "Please avoid the area." |
| Emergency response teams rushed to the scene after the explosion at about 7pm local time. The fire department sent six fire engines to the scene of the large blast which destroyed a convenience store and a home. The ambulance service wrote on Twitter that four people have been taken to hospital in the aftermath of the blast. | Emergency response teams rushed to the scene after the explosion at about 7pm local time. The fire department sent six fire engines to the scene of the large blast which destroyed a convenience store and a home. The ambulance service wrote on Twitter that four people have been taken to hospital in the aftermath of the blast. |
| A spokeswoman for Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed a search and rescue operation is underway. | A spokeswoman for Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed a search and rescue operation is underway. |
| “This is a search and rescue at the moment," she said to the Leicester Mercury. “It is unknown if people are injured or trapped.” | “This is a search and rescue at the moment," she said to the Leicester Mercury. “It is unknown if people are injured or trapped.” |
| Sixty homes have been evacuated as part of the emergency response and roads in the surrounding area have been closed. | Sixty homes have been evacuated as part of the emergency response and roads in the surrounding area have been closed. |
| "At about 7pm, we heard an absolutely massive explosion," a witness told the local newspaper. "It was quite frightening. We went to look out of the upstairs windows and saw loads of smoke, and then a few seconds later massive orange flames.” | "At about 7pm, we heard an absolutely massive explosion," a witness told the local newspaper. "It was quite frightening. We went to look out of the upstairs windows and saw loads of smoke, and then a few seconds later massive orange flames.” |
| There are no indications the explosion is linked to terrorism, the police said on Twitter. A spokesperson for gas network operator Cadent said the cause of the blast is yet unknown. Electricity has been switched off in the area around the blast site. |